Women Protest Misogynist Laws: ‘You Can’t Pass These Acts Like This’

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MPs and activists from women and LGBTI organizations who came together in front of the Parliament and made a statement addressing the current laws such as the recently passed act allowing religious leaders to perform legally valid religious marriages and other similar omnibus bills concerning women but include unfavorable regulations for women.

Activists from women and LGBTI organizations gathering in front of the Parliament its official opening day (September 2) chanted slogans and held banners saying "this marriage cannot be performed", "long live the solidarity of women" and "for a free and equal life".

MPs Şenal Sarıhan and Yıldız Tur Biçer from the Republican People's Party (CHP), indepentent MP Aylin Nazlıaka as wel as Meral Danış Beştaş, Sibel Yiğitalp and Bedia Özgökçe from the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) supported the statement.

Ankara Women's Platform Spokesperson Hatice Kapusuz pointed out that the laws concerning women were being drafted without consulting with women's organizations and did not even include a law's preamble/ have a justification and added that they would not accept these regulations that neither offered any solution for the problems or demands of women.

CHP's Sarıhan underlined the importance of the act of solidarity by the MPs and women's organizations in the fight for equality.
HDP's Danış Beştaş said:

"Today, the Parliament is more beautiful with women. The women being here with their colors and words will make the male-dominated system in Turkey to pull back. We as women MPs will continue to fight against regulations and practices against women. What women need in Turkey is not marriage by a Mufti* or law drafts that make women suffer and added:

"The Goverment should take action to stop femicides. One cannot achieve equality by providing dowry aid for girls under the age of 18 who are to be married off through a religious marriage". (ÇT/DG)