One more annulment action against withdrawal from İstanbul Convention

"İstanbul Convention is our future, we don't give up" (by Serra Akcan/csgorselarsiv.org)

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Amid ongoing protests, objections and criticisms against Turkey's withdrawal from the İstanbul Convention by a Presidential decision, the Education and Science Laborers' Union (Eğitim-Sen) has appealed to the Council of State and filed an annulment action against the decision.

In their petition to the high court, the union has requested the stay of execution of the decision and its annulment.

Releasing a written statement about the application to the Council of State, the union has reminded the public that "the Eğitim-Sen, which defends putting an end to all types of violence against women, has been making considerable efforts to ensure that gender equality prevails in all workplaces and in the field of education, with the awareness that the social roles and behaviors of women and men do not stem from innate differences."

Sharing further details about its own efforts for gender equality in education, the union has underlined that "the unlawful termination of the İstanbul Convention, which aims to protect women from all types of violence and to prevent and eliminate violence, is aimed at undermining the union struggle and women's struggle and a continuation of violence by institutionalizing it."

Accordingly, the union has appealed to the Council of State, requesting the stay of execution and annulment of the decision in question.

What happened?

Turkey has withdrawn from the İstanbul Convention with a Presidential decision published in the Official Gazette on March 20, 2021.

The decision in question said that "the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, which was signed by Turkey on May 11, 2011 and approved with the Cabinet Decree no. 2012/2816 on February 10, 2012, shall be terminated on the part of Turkey as per the Article 3 of the Presidential Decree no. 9."

Following this Presidential decision published at midnight, several social media users, women's rights defenders, lawyers and politicians, denounced the decision, recalling that the convention was unanimously approved at the Parliament and stressing that it is not possible for Turkey to withdraw from an international convention with a Presidential decision.

After the Presidential decision pulling Turkey out of the İstanbul Convention was met with criticisms and objections in both Turkey and around the world, the Communications Directorate of the Presidency released a written statement about the issue on March 22.

"As known, Turkey was the first signatory to the Istanbul Convention," the statement noted, arguing that the "İstanbul Convention, originally intended to promote women's rights, was hijacked by a group of people attempting to normalize homosexuality – which is incompatible with Turkey's social and family values. Hence the decision to withdraw."

The protests are still ongoing. (AÖ/SD)