ISTANBUL - Organized with the motto "We do not give up on the Istanbul Convention", the "Great Women's Meeting" started with the enthusiasm and determination of women.

 

With the call of the Women's Platform for Equality (EŞİK) before July 1, when the Istanbul Convention will be completely repealed, a rally is held at the Maltepe Event Area with the participation of thousands of women, with the motto "We do not give up on the Istanbul Convention".

 

A large number of women from many provinces of Turkey entered Istanbul from the morning hours. The women gathered in many points of Istanbul, formed a cortege, and marched towards the area. The enthusiasm of the women, who started to gather in front of the entry points created in two separate parts of the area surrounded by police barriers, was reflected in their slogans.

 

Journalist’s entry wanted to prevent 

 

While the police prevented LGBTI+ flags from being allowed in the area on the grounds that they were 'illegal', journalist Jiyan Elma was prevented from entering the area on the grounds of the "Security Circular". Jiyan, whose identity was confiscated for half an hour, was able to enter the area after a long wait.

 

After the security checks were completed, women entered the area and marched, chanting slogans such as "You will never walk alone", "Women live, children laugh", "AKP, get your hands off the convention", "6284 for women" and "Jin Jiyan Azadi".

 

Women came to Istanbul from different cities

 

The Women's Councils, which participated from 71 provinces, entered the area with the slogan "You will never walk alone". HDP Women's Council and Free Women’s Movement (TJA) marched towards the area with posters with photographs of Deniz Poyraz, who was killed in the raid on the İzmir HDP Provincial Organization building yesterday, and with the slogans "Deniz Poyraz is immortal", "One dies, we are born a thousand", "Man shoots, the state protects".

 

HDP MPs Ayşe Acaran Başaran, Züleyha Gülüm and Dilşat Canbaz Kaya held the banner, “We do not give up on the Istanbul Convention, and walked with the crowd towards the area.

 

The rally was attended by Free Women’s Movement (TJA), Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), Republican People's Party (CHP) and DEVA Party, as well as People's Democratic Congress (HDK), Boğaziçi University students, Progressive Women's Council, Women's Councils, Women's Defense Network, Purple Solidarity, Sinbo workers who were fired with Code-29 and resisted for 46 days, Mardin Şahmaran Women's Platform, Datça Women's Platform and women's platforms of many provinces participated.

 

Banners at the rally

 

Banners "We do not give up on the Istanbul Convention", "On self-defense against patriarchy and male violence", "Implement the constitution, convention" and "We won the Istanbul Convention by resisting, we do not give up" were displayed in the rally area. HDP Women's Council, on the other hand, took its place in the rally area with the banner "We defend life, we do not give up on the Istanbul Convention".

 

Deniz Poyraz, who was killed in the raid on the HDP İzmir Provincial Organization building, was often commemorated with the slogans "Şehit namirin".

 

After the women gathered in the arena, Kurdish musician Rewşan Çeliker took the stage. Then the singer Deniz Tekin took the stage. The rally, which continued with slogans and resistance messages for a long time, continues with the performance of the singer Kalben.