The United Nations Commission for Europe discusses women’s problems in the world. Panellists emphasised the situation in Turkey and said there are more than 600 women in Turkey’s prisons with their children under age six.
A Member of the European Parliament, Julie Ward, said İstanbul Agreement is one of the most effective legal instrument to prevent violence against women and called out countries who signed the agreement to be responsible. Italian MEP Elly Schlein said violation of women’s rights is rooted in social inequalities. MEP and member of European Women’s Lobby Asha Allen called out authorities to act morally.
Dr Uğur Tok, chair of Platform for Peace and Justice spoke at the panel and said violence against women has different forms in different countries and he pointed out the scale of violence against women in Turkey. Tok reminded that there are around 17,000 women in Turkey’s prisons including babies and pregnant women who were unlawfully arrested following July 15 controversial coup attempt.
Tok emphasised that although there is a law in Turkish penal code that forbids pregnant women and women with babies younger than 6 months to be imprisoned, the government violates these laws during the state of emergency. Tok added that “currently there are more than 600 women in prisons with their children under age 6. These people were accused of being a terrorist over a night.”
