The North and East Syrian Women's Council held a workshop on the crimes of the Turkish state and its mercenaries against women in the occupied regions of North and East Syria.

Among the participants in the workshop were: "Syriac Women's Union, North and East Syria Women's Council, Democratic and Innovative Party Women's Bureau, TEV DEM Women's Bureau, Human Rights Organization, Foreign Relations Office, South Kurdistan Democratic Autonomous Administration Representation, MSD Women's Bureau, Qamishlo Canton Women Committee, the Syrian Women's Council, the Yazidi Institution, the Pêl Organization, Kongra Star, the Syrian Future Party and political parties’ women parties."

Siham Emokê, a member of the North and East Syria Kongra Star Coordination, said: “No solution has been found to counter the Turkish state's violations. Turkey to turn Syria into the Ottoman period."

Political, legal and social violations against women were discussed during the workshop.

Siham Dawud, Secretary General of the Syrian Future Party, said: “Targeting women politicians is to target the voice of peace and solution. The occupying Turkish state continues its terror attacks against women. Every day we hear about murder, sexual abuse, arrest and forced displacement. By targeting of organized women, Turkey wants to break the free will of women. Erdogan has a phobia with women and it is evident in North and East Syria. Erdogan is afraid of the Democratic Autonomous Administration, which is based on the solution of the Syrian crisis.”

Participants at the workshop underlined that there is an attempt to prevent women from taking part in the political arena. They remembered martyr Hevrin Xelef [Secretary General of the Syrian Future Party] who was fighting for a political solution, spreading peace and therefore was targeted and murdered by the Turkish state and its mercenaries.

“Civilian women, men and children have the right to protection,” said Amrin Xelife, Head of Smart Legal Research Office. Armed groups cannot attack civilians. The laws do not prohibit war, but guarantee the protection of civil rights. This is established by the Geneva Convention.”

Noting that the Turkish state has committed war crimes against women, but no one has brought the Turkish state to account, the participants drew attention to the fact that the murder carried out by the Turkish state mercenaries of the Secretary General of the Syrian Future Party Hevrîn Xelef were documented, but the criminals were not brought to justice.

Jazira Region Human Rights Organization co-chair Evin Cuma pointed out that the Turkish state committed war crimes against women in the occupied areas of North and East Syria, forced thousands of people to migrate, used heavy and banned weapons against civilians, hundreds of civilians. She added that it massacred and plundered the infrastructure of the regions and underlined that it also changed the demographic structure in Serêkaniyê, Afrin and Girê Spî.

Emphasizing that the occupying Turkish state and its mercenaries committed many crimes against women in 2018, 2019 and 2020, Evin Cuma said: “53 murders, 128 attacks resulting in injuries and 61 sexual abuse crimes against women were documented in 3 years. 5 women ended their lives due to torture and brutal attacks. 317 women were kidnapped and released when a ransom was paid. Under the name of "Peace Spring" operation, 23 women were killed in Serêkaniyê, Girê Spî and border regions, 2 of them were subjected to sexual abuse. 60 women were injured in the bombings, 12 women were abducted."

The workshop stated that murder, violation and crimes negatively affect the psychology of women to a great extent and called for psychological, social and legal support for women.