Joint statement by 78 bars: We don’t give up İstanbul Convention

"We will make you enforce the İstanbul Convention" (by csgorselarsiv/Dilara Açıkgöz)

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On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the İstanbul Convention, the chairs of 78 bar associations have released a joint statement.

Marking yesterday's anniversary (May 11), the statement of the bar chairs has raised concerns about Turkey's withdrawal from the Convention by a Presidential decision, briefly saying, "We respectfully declare that the İstanbul Convention is in force, that we have not given up the İstanbul Convention and that we will keep on waging our legal struggle."

The statement of the bar association chairs has stressed that the decision of withdrawal will deprive women of their protection.

Underlining that it is not possible to withdraw from the Convention by a Presidential decision, the bar chairs have briefly stated the following:

'It is against the law'

"We reiterate that withdrawing from the Convention by a Presidential Decision is against the law, the Constitution and international treaties.

"In a period when we are raising our demands for an effective implementation of the İstanbul Convention with its all provisions as a Convention which views violence against women as a result of gender inequality and discrimination and considers violence against women to be a human right violation, it is unacceptable that Turkey has withdrawn from the İstanbul Convention 'in an unlawful manner.'

'Do your duty, withdraw the decision'

"The duty of the state is to protect the rights of individuals, to protect their lives and to provide them with an environment free of violence and the right to life by eliminating inequality and discrimination.

"We call on the authorities to duty to withdraw the decision that will make us women vulnerable; we respectfully share it with the public that the İstanbul Convention is still in effect, that we have not given up the İstanbul Convention and that we will keep on waging our legal struggle."

The undersigned

Adana Bar Association Chair Lawyer Veli Küçük, Adıyaman Bar Association Chair Lawyer Mustafa Köroğlu, Afyonkarahisar Bar Association Chair Lawyer Turgay Şahin, Ağrı Bar Association Chair Lawyer Mehmet Salih Aydın, Aksaray Bar Association Chair Lawyer Ramazan Erhan Toprak, Amasya Bar Association Chair Lawyer Ahmet Melik Derindere, Ankara Bar Association Chair Lawyer Ramiz Erinç Sağkan, Antalya Bar Association Chair Lawyer Polat Balkan, Ardahan Bar Association Chair Lawyer Osman Nuri Yıldız, Artvin Bar Association Chair Lawyer Ayla Varan, Aydın Bar Association Chair Lawyer Gökhan Bozkurt, Balıkesir Bar Association Chair Lawyer Erol Kayabay, Bartın Bar Association Chair Lawyer Ferhat Parlatır, Batman Bar Association Chair Lawyer Erkan Şenses, Bilecik Bar Association Chair Lawyer Halime Aynur, Bingöl Bar Association Chair Lawyer Ömer Faruk Hülakü, Bitlis Bar Association Chair Lawyer Fuat Özgül, Bolu Bar Association Chair Lawyer Sabri Erhendekçi, Burdur Bar Association Chair Lawyer Ramazan Gedik, Bursa Bar Association Chair Lawyer Gürkan Altun, Çanakkale Bar Association Chair Lawyer Bülent Şarlan, Çankırı Bar Association Chair Lawyer Erkan Köroğlu, Çorum Bar Association Chair Lawyer Kenan Yaşar, Denizli Bar Association Chair Lawyer Müjdat İlhan, Diyarbakır Bar Association Chair Lawyer Nahit Eren, Düzce Bar Association Chair Lawyer Azade Ay, Edirne Bar Association Chair Lawyer Alper Pınar, Elazığ Bar Association Chair Lawyer Mustafa Yentür, Erzincan Bar Association Chair Lawyer Adem Aktürk, Erzurum Bar Association Chair Lawyer Talat Göğebakan, Eskişehir Bar Association Chair Lawyer Mustafa Elagöz, Gaziantep Bar Association Chair Lawyer Bektaş Şarklı, Giresun Bar Association Chair Lawyer Soner Karademir, Gümüşhane-Bayburt Bar Association Chair Lawyer Serkan Pekmezci, Hakkari Bar Association Chair Lawyer Ergün Canan, Hatay Bar Association Chair Lawyer Hüseyin Cihat Açıkalın, Iğdır Bar Association Chair Lawyer Serkan Alakan, Isparta Bar Association Chair Lawyer Ünsal Çankaya, İstanbul Bar Association Chair Lawyer Mehmet Durakoğlu, İzmir Bar Association Chair Lawyer Özkan Yücel, Kahramanmaraş Bar Association Chair Lawyer Muhammed Burak Gül, Karabük Bar Association Chair Lawyer Emrah Köklü, Kars Bar Association Chair Lawyer Fettah Çapkurt, Kastamonu Bar Association Chair Lawyer Özgür Demir, Kayseri Bar Association Chair Lawyer Cavit Dursun, Kırıkkale Bar Association Chair Lawyer Talat Apaydın, Kırklareli Bar Association Chair Lawyer Turgay Hınız, Kırşehir Bar Association Chair Lawyer Mehtap Karaburçak Tuzcu, Kilis Bar Association Chair Lawyer Hayri Muammer Fazlıağaoğlu, Kocaeli Bar Association Chair Lawyer Bahar Gültekin Candemir, Konya Bar Association Chair Lawyer Mustafa Aladağ, Kütahya Bar Association Chair Lawyer Ahmet Atam, Malatya Bar Association Chair Lawyer Enver Han, Manisa Bar Association Chair Lawyer Ali Arslan, Mardin Bar Association Chair Lawyer İsmail Elik, Mersin Bar Association Chair Lawyer Bilgin Yeşilboğaz, Muğla Bar Association Chair Lawyer Cumhur Uzun, Muş Bar Association Chair Lawyer Kadir Karaçelik, Nevşehir Bar Association Chair Lawyer Mustafa Necmi Öncül, Niğde Bar Association Chair Lawyer Emin Alper Öztürk, Ordu Bar Association Chair Lawyer Haluk Murat Poyraz, Osmaniye Bar Association Chair Lawyer İbrahim Halil Yavuzdoğan, Sakarya Bar Association Chair Lawyer Abdurrahim Burak, Samsun Bar Association Chair Lawyer Pınar Gürsel Yıldıran, Siirt Bar Association Chair Lawyer Nizam Dilek, Sinop Bar Association Chair Lawyer Hicran Kandemir, Sivas Bar Association Chair Lawyer Fatih Sevim, Şanlıurfa Bar Association Chair Lawyer Abdullah Öncel, Şırnak Bar Association Chair Lawyer Rojhat Dilsiz, Tekirdağ Bar Association Chair Lawyer Sedat Tekneci, Tokat Bar Association Chair Lawyer Melih Yardımcı, Trabzon Bar Association Chair Lawyer Sibel Suiçmez, Dersim Bar Association Chair Lawyer Kenan Çetin, Uşak Bar Association Chair Lawyer Emin Coşkun, Van Bar Association Chair Lawyer Zülküf Uçar, Yalova Bar Association Chair Lawyer Fedayi Doğruyol, Yozgat Bar Association Chair Lawyer Muhsin Ayanoğlu, Zonguldak Bar Association Chair Lawyer Özel Eroğlu (RT/SD)