Day to Day Chronology

Platforms bringing together various women’s organizations, such as the Women’s Coalition and the Women’s Platform for Equality (EŞİK), swiftly published statements objecting to the decision.

Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejcinovic Buric responded to the announcement of Turkey’s withdrawal from the convention, calling it “a devastating news”.

UN Women urged Turkey to reconsider its decision, expressing concerns that “this action comes at a point when concerted international action and commitment to end violence against women and girls is more important than ever”.

TÜSİAD asked for a reconsideration of the withdrawal decision, which would encourage the distorted mentality that feeds all forms of violence against women.

Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu stated that withdrawal from the convention, which aims at the prevention of violence against women, would not impact the efforts to prevent violence against women.

Numerous international networks and national organisations, including European Women’s Lobby, IWRAW AP (International Women's Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific), WAVE (The Women against Violence Europe Network), ROKS (the National Organisation for Women’s Shelters and Young Women's Shelters in Sweden), RESURJ (Realizing Sexual and Reproductive Justice Alliance), IPPF European Network(International Planned Parenthood Federation European Network), WECF International (Women Engage for a Common Future), ICAN (International Civil Society Action Network), WLUML (Women Living Under Muslim Laws Solidarity Network), International Campaign for Safe Abortion have shared messages of solidarity with women in Turkey against the Presidential decision. Other solidarity statements are available here

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed in a statement that Turkey’s withdrawal from the most comprehensive convention against violence “should not be interpreted as a compromise of the efforts to combat violence against women”.

The Department of Communications of the Presidency explained that the reason of the withdrawal from the convention is “the manipulation of the convention by a certain segment to normalise homosexuality” in an effort to legitimise the withdrawal by pointing at the LGBTI+s as a target, a manifestation of the recent systematic attack against the LGBTI+s.

The Chair of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers and German Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Heiko Maas, President of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly Rik Daems and Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejcinovic Buric made a joint statement, in which emphasizing that the convention had been ratified by a unanimous vote at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, they voiced their regret that the decision to withdraw had been reached without any parliamentary debate. The statement also recalled that the convention upholds women’s fundamental human right to a life free from violence.

The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic criticized the decision, expressing her full support to all women in Turkey.

Turkey notified the Council of Europe of its decision to withdraw from the Convention. The notification was put into process. According to article 80 of the Convention, a 3-month withdrawal process started. Unless the notification is recalled, Turkey will have quit the Istanbul Convention on 1 July 2021.

UN special rapporteurs and experts on human rights deeply regretted Turkey’s decision to withdraw from the convention. Experts emphasized the fact that the Istanbul Convention is a human rights convention. They noted that the Convention provided tools to better protect women and girls.

Erkan Baş, Chair of the Workers’ Party of Turkey (TİP), stated that they will fight on legal grounds against the decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention and they have appealed to the Council of State filing a lawsuit against the withdrawal decision. 

Women’s and LGBTI+ organisations sent letters to intergovernmental human rights institutions, including the Council of Europe, stating that the withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention is unlawful and illegitimate. The letters noted that the application for renunciation of the convention should be reviewed in terms of its legality. The call made by the Women's Platform for Equality to the Council of Europe is available here.

The Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Services Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk said that the reason to quit a fundamental human rights convention on protection of women from violence was the “social disintegration” caused by the convention.

Political parties, municipalities and academicians put across the message “Istanbul Convention saves lives”, as part of the activities to mark the 65th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

In a statement following a week of intense opposition from various segments, President and AKP Chair Erdoğan said that the parliament does not have a decision making power with respect to the Istanbul Convention, alleging that the intervention to legislation by a Presidential Decree was legal.

Following a week of nationwide demonstrations of various size and intensity, thousands of women and LGBTI+ people took to the streets on Saturday to protest the renunciation of the Istanbul Convention. Women’s and LGBTI+ organisations said they would closely follow up the process till 1 July 2021.

Women’s Branches of CHP and DEVA Party and Women’s Party filed a lawsuit at the Council of State to overturn the Presidential Decision that renounces the Istanbul Convention.

6 members of Mersin Women Platform who protested in Mersin against the decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention were given a fine in the amount of 21 thousand 598 TL in total.

27 out of 47 member states of the Council of Europe called on Turkey to reinstate its commitment to the convention, which is the most comprehensive instrument for combatting violence against women. The declaration is signed by Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Finland.

The appointed rector of Bogazici University forced the only office employee of the University’s Commission for the Prevention of Sexual Harassment to take unpaid leave.

The police carried out a raid on Rosa Women’s Association in Diyarbakır province and conducted a search in its office. 24 women including members of Rosa Women’s Association and TJA activists were placed in custody.

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and President of the European Council Charles Michel visited Turkey to negotiate the relations with the EU. Von der Leyen said “It is wrong for Turkey to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention and it gives a wrong message. We had an intense discussion with the President and asked him to reverse the decision.”

Trade Union of Employees in Public Health and Social Services (SES), which is organised in women shelters, Violence Prevention and Monitoring Centres (ŞÖNİM), hospitals and family practice centres, filed a lawsuit at the Council of State for the annulment of the Presidential Decree on the withdrawal from the convention on grounds of unconstitutionality and requested a stay of execution of the Decree.

Replying to a question about the attempt to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention in a programme held with the young people, Erdoğan said the convention did not bring respect for women’s rights, adding that the domestic law was sufficient in that regard. In addition, he also presented the fact that violence against women is forbidden in Islam as a safeguard against violence.

The campaign group “Implement Istanbul Convention” put up banners on towers and bridges reading “Istanbul Convention is ours. We are not giving it Up!”

Women and Children First Association reported that the 10th Chamber of the Council of State, which had signed the Hagia Sophia decision, was assigned to hear the case the Association brought against the Presidential Decision on the renunciation of the Istanbul Convention.

The Parliamentary Inquiry Commission to Investigate Violence Against Women established by way of a parliamentary decision taken on March 9th convened for the first time. The Council chairing the commission comprised of members of the AKP and MHP set a meeting for the next day disregarding requests from commission members from the CHP and HDP that a week be allowed for preparations. During the session held on April 22nd, members from the AKP and MHP in particular suggested that legal experts focusing on Islamic Law be invited to contribute to the commission. Members from the HDP and CHP did not attend the meeting, but submitted written statements demanding that women’s organizations working towards gender equality and prevention of violence against women be invited instead.

Süleyman Soylu, alleged in his social media account that there was a decline in the number of femicides one month after the withdrawal from the convention. The fact that the number of femicides is compared only with the previous month and that other variables have not been considered undermines the cause-effect relationship with the withdrawal from the convention. Furthermore, the data on domestic violence and femicides are not well-kept and the existing data are not made available to the public.

A student of Yıldız Technical University was kicked out. of an online class after posting “Istanbul Convention helps you survive” in the profile photo. The following day students protested Professor Arvas in a panel by chanting one after another “Istanbul Convention saves lives.

The “Implement the Istanbul Convention” campaign group brought attention to the convention deep underwater as well.

İstanbul Sözleşmesi için her yerdeyiz!🏊‍♀️🪂🌟

Bu arada pankart yasak mı demiştiniz😉 pic.twitter.com/nK3deS0gbX

— Kadınlar Birlikte (@KBGuclu) April 28, 2021

The Association of Lawyers for Freedom (Özgürlük için Hukukçular Derneği) filed a lawsuit to stay the execution of the Presidential Decision denouncing the convention.

In response to The EŞİK platform’s call women’s and LGBTI+ organisations across Turkey stormed social media with the hashtag #İstanbulSözleşmesi10Yaşında (#TheIstanbulConventionIs10YearsOld), which remained trending on twitter in Turkey for an entire day.

The 10th Chamber of the Council of State requested a defense from the Office of the President in response to one of the lawsuits filed for a stay of execution and annulment of the Presidential Decision announcing Turkey’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention.

Women for Women’s Human Rights – New Ways, Mor Çatı Women’s Shelter Foundation, Women's Solidarity Foundation, Bodrum Women’s Solidarity Association, and the Aramızda Association for Gender Research appealed to the Council of State for a stay of execution and annulment of the Presidential Decision announcing Turkey’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention.

While responding to questions at the Parliamentary Inquiry Commission to Violence against Women, Minister of Family and Social Services Derya Yanık said “there is some confusion with regards to restraining and protection orders, as if the Law No. 6284 has been abolished.” on the question of weaknesses emerging in preventing violence and protecting those subjected to violence in the wake of the decision to withdraw from the convention. She underlined that these were problems concerning practice and implementation, not legislation itself, adding that they were working to improve this practice even as they are attempting to withdraw from a convention that is the strongest tool in combating violence.

The head of the AKP Women’s Branch and MP for Düzce Ayşe Keşir penned a letter in three languages to the chair and members of the Council of Europe in reaction to Turkey being criticized for its women’s rights record at the council meeting held on May 11th on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Istanbul Convention. Stating in her letter that “the efforts of men who believe in women’s rights including Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the AK Party which has been in government for the past 19 years cannot be overlooked in the many strides women have taken,” Keşir went on to list the various developments taking place in the early years of the AKP government as a result of the struggle waged by the women’s movement.

In the event she attended titled “10 Years of the Istanbul Convention: Dialogue Between Institutions and the Feminist Movement”, Spain’s Minister for Equality Irene Montero Gil wore a mask bearing the slogan “The Istanbul Convention is Ours” in a show of solidarity with women and the LGBTI+s in Turkey.

President of the Union of Turkish Bar Associations Metin Feyzioğlu spoke at the parliamentary inquiry commission on violence against women, saying that it would be beneficial for Turkey to resign the Istanbul Convention following a procedural and substantive review by the president and parliament.

In a statement prior to the NATO Summit, the US Women’s Caucus at the UN urged US President Joe Biden to express his consternation over Turkey’s announced withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention in his meetings with Turkey and other NATO partners.

Women and LGBTI+ from all over Turkey convened in Maltepe, Istanbul for the “We Will Not Give Up the Istanbul Convention” rally called by the Women’s Platform for Equality (EŞİK).

The People’s Republican Party (CHP) pulled out of the parliamentary inquiry commission on violence against women, stating that although the commission presented itself as a space for negotiation and debate, in reality questions and objections were continuously being shut down. MPs from the CHP also mentioned that persons and institutions advocating for polygamy and the marriage of children under the age of 15, targeting the Lanzarote Convention protecting children’s rights along with the Istanbul Convention, and calling for the annulment of the Law No. 6284 had been invited to commission meetings.

As a result of the tireless efforts of parliamentarians from the CHP and HDP, women’s organizations with long-term experience in the field of domestic violence were invited to the parliamentary inquiry commission on violence against women. Women for Women’s Human Rights – New Ways, the Mor Çatı Women’s Shelter Foundation, and the Association to Support Women Candidates (KA.DER) stated that the reasons and solutions for violence were outlined in the Istanbul Convention, and that the convention should be promoted and implemented. In a joint declaration they made after the commission meeting, the groups said that “Upon witnessing the commission’s debates today, the fact that there was no common stance against the decision to withdraw from the convention, that even mention of the convention could not be tolerated, and that our criticisms were met with an extreme reaction, left us feeling even more concerned that our rights including the Law No. 6284 are under serious risk.” The Federation of Women’s Associations of Turkey, on the other hand, shared a video explaining their reasons for turning down the commission’s invitation.

The 10th Chamber of the Council of State rejected İYİ Party leader Meral Akşener’s appeal for the stay of execution and annulment of the Presidential Decision announcing Turkey’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention by a majority of 3 against 2.

HDP MP Remziye Tosun submitted a parliamentary question to Vice President Fuat Oktay, asking whether they were aware of the rights violations that would ensue from withdrawing from the Istanbul Convention. Tosun also inquired into the reasoning behind the Presidency’s defense that this was “an action concerning the highest interests of the state” in the lawsuit for the annulment of the presidential decision to withdraw from the convention, asking “What kind of high interest does the state have in abolishing the Istanbul Convention, the most fundamental mechanism protecting women from violence?”

Turkey announced its 4th National Action Plan on Combating Violence Against Women. The Plan made no reference to the Istanbul Convention, while citing international mechanisms such as the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Economic and Social Council, Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), and CEDAW’s General Recommendation No. 19, charting a history that ends with the Beijing Declaration in 1995.

HDP MP Remziye Tosun submitted a parliamentary question to Vice President Fuat Oktay, asking whether withdrawing from the Istanbul Convention by way of a presidential decision was unconstitutional and therefore void or not.

The appeal for the annulment of the decision to withdraw from the convention filed by the Association for Supporting Contemporary Life (Çağdaş Yaşamı Destekleme Derneği – ÇYDD) was also rejected by the 10th Chamber of the Council of State by a majority of 3 against 2. Following the ruling, ÇYDD announced that it would take this rejection decision to the Plenary Session of the Administrative Law Chamber (İDDK), stating that the 2 justices who voted affirmative had confirmed the arguments they put forward in their petition.

Addressing the public after a Cabinet meeting, Erdoğan associated an insult by İYİ Party member Lütfü Türkkan against a martyr’s relative with the Istanbul Convention, claiming that the opposition was exploiting the convention: “If anyone starts saying ‘the Istanbul Convention this or that’ in this country once again, our women should be the first to react against them, most of all for abusing their name for the sake of their own deviant ideological agenda.

The Plenary Session of the Administrative Law Chamber (İDDK) also rejected Meral Akşener’s appeal against the decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention. Meral Akşener’s motion for a stay of execution of the Presidential Decision had previously been denied by the Council of State, a ruling which she challenged at the higher board. The İDDK reviewed the appeal and rejected it by a majority of 8 against 5.

In the ongoing case at the 10th Chamber of the Council of State filed by women from Aydın for the annulment of the decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention, the Council of State Prosecutor gave an opinion that Erdoğan’s decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention was unlawful, expressing that “the Presidential Decree no. 9 cited as legal grounds for the President’s withdrawal decision would not empower the President to revoke international conventions on fundamental human rights in light of articles 87 and 90 of the Constitution.”

In the case filed for the annulment of the Presidential Decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention by the Diyarbakır Bar Association Women’s Rights Center, the Council of State Prosecutor gave an opinion that the decision to withdraw was unlawful, requesting it to be repealed.

The court commenced its substantive inquiry in the case brought by İYİ Party Leader Meral Akşener, following its rejection of her request for a stay of execution of the decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention. The Council of State Prosecutor gave an opinion referencing articles 6 and 90 of the Constitution, stating that “An international convention adopted by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey through a statutory law approving the ratification could only be revoked through the same procedure,” and thus requesting the court to “annul the Presidential Decision”.

The Council of State Prosecutor made mention of the usurpation of legislative powers by the president in the case filed by Gelecek (Future) Party Deputy Chair in charge of Human Rights Serap Yazıcı, deeming the Presidential Decision unlawful and requesting its annulment.

In the lawsuit filed by the Association of Women of 29 October, Council of State prosecutor submitted his opinion for annulment and the initial hearing was scheduled for 28 April 2022.

Among the lawsuits filed against the decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention, the hearings of Association of Women of 29 October, Erzurum Bar Association, Ankara Bar Association, Gaziantep Bar Association, the Future Party (Gelecek Partisi), Serap Yazıcı, Diyarbakır Bar Association, Tekirdağ Bar Association, Şenal Saruhan and Turkish Bars Association were held at the Council of State. In addition to nearly one thousand lawyers who presented their authorization documents, a historical crowd consisting of representatives of women’s organizations, LGBTI+ organizations, bar associations, human rights organizations, trade associations, and unions attended the first hearing. At the closing of the hearing, Prosecutor Aytaç Kurt submitted his opinion stating that the decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention was unlawful and should be annulled. 

The media covered the news that the 10th Chamber of the Council of State will hold the hearings of sixty of the lawsuits filed for the annulment of the withdrawal decision in groups of twenty on 7-14-23 June.

In the statement titled “Istanbul Convention Will Be Signed” published on their official website, the Good Party (İyi Parti) pledged to integrate all international agreements protecting women’s rights into domestic law and act as a pioneer of such practices worldwide.

Among the lawsuits filed against the withdrawal decision, hearings of HDP Co-Chair Pervin Buldan, CHP Group Deputy Chair Özgür Özel, Women and Children Association, SOL Party, Judges’ Union, Malatya Bar Association, Zonguldak Bar Association, Çanakkale Bar Association, Kars Bar Association, Artvin Bar Association, Denizli Bar Association, Kırklareli Bar Association, Tokat Bar Association, Aksaray Bar Association, and Şırnak Bar Association were held. At the hearing held at the 10th Chamber of the Council of State, Prosecutor Aytaç Kurt once again submitted his opinion stating that the decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention was unlawful and should be annulled.

Among the lawsuits filed against the withdrawal decision, hearings of Workers’ Party of Turkey (TİP), Sedef Erken, İzmir Bar Association, Trabzon Bar Association, Mersin Bar Association, Giresun Bar Association, Eskişehir Bar Association, Burdur Bar Association, Adana Bar Association, Manisa Bar Association, Uşak Bar Association, Bolu Bar Association, Hatay Bar Association, Turkey Agriculture and Forestry Trade Union/Confederation of Public Employees Trade Unions, Meral Akşener, and  Progressive Women’s Association were held. Nazlı Yanıkdemir, the prosecutor of these cases, emphasized that the Presidential Decree can be taken to the Constitutional Court on the grounds of unconstitutionality and that if the decree is not brought to the Constitutional Court “the decision should be annulled”.

At the 82nd Session of United Nations CEDAW Committee, within the scope of 8th Periodic Review of Turkey, the members of the CEDAW Committee asked Derya Yanık, Minister of Family and Social Policies, the reasons as to why Turkey was withdrawing from the Istanbul Convention. The Minister responded to the Committee’s persistent questions pertaining to this matter by saying that “the discussions about the Istanbul Convention are weakening the power of the Convention”. Gladys Acosta Vargas, Chair of the CEDAW Committee, in her closing remarks stated that they are not convinced about the reasons for the withdrawal decision and they think the decision to withdraw from the Convention would have negative consequences.

Among the lawsuits filed against the withdrawal decision, hearings of Kocaeli Bar Association, Kayseri Bar Association, Batman Bar Association, Samsun Bar Association, Antalya Bar Association, Ordu Bar Association, Yalova Bar Association, Bursa Bar Association, Muğla Bar Association, Van Bar Association, Amasya Bar Association, Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects, Turkish Medical Association, and Ankara Chamber of Dentists were held. Prosecutor Aytaç Kurt once again submitted his opinion stating that the decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention was unlawful and should be annulled. The panel of judges closed the hearing by stating that the decision will be announced before the judiciary recess.

The Women's Platform for Equality (EŞİK) wanted to issue a press statement in front of building of the Council of State to hand in additional petitions against the decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention. The press statement was banned and a few representatives from the group were allowed to enter the Council of State to deliver the additional petitions. 

In the first anniversary of withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention women organized protests in many cities including Ankara, Diyarbakır, Bodrum and Denizli.

By a vote of three to two, the lawsuits filed with the request for the stay of execution and annulment of the Presidential decision were rejected. This decision was first serviced to the Anatolian Agency before the plaintiffs. It was seen that the version serviced to the AA was a draft with track change.

Women and LGBTI+ people protested the decision of the Council of State in many cities including Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir.

At the press conference she held to share her preliminary findings at the end of her visit to Turkey, Reem Alsalem, the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls, Causes and Consequences, said, “I encourage the Government of the Republic of Turkey to reconsider its decision to withdraw from the Convention and continue to support other international human rights obligations of Turkey.”

The Association for Women for Women’s Human Rights – New Ways, on the anniversary of the Istanbul Convention, announced that they launched the website www.istanbulsozlesmesi.org where you can reach the fundamental documents and reports about the drafting of the Convention, the signing of the Convention by Turkey, the establishment and activities of the Istanbul Convention Monitoring Platform of Turkey as well as information and documents on the withdrawal process.

UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls, Causes and Consequences, UN Working Group on Discrimination against Women and Girls and UN CEDAW Committee issued an expert opinion addressed to the chair of the Council of State. Experts called for the reversal of the first-degree decision given by the 10th Chamber of the Council of State and urged Turkey to immediately sign the Convention.

The Turkish Medical Association announced that it has filed an appeal to the Council of State Chambers of Administrative Cases demanding the reversal of the decision of the 10th Chamber of the Council of State.