Opponents of Turkey's withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention against violence against women, took to the streets of Istanbul on Friday 26 March.

The convention is a Council of Europe treaty aimed at combatting domestic violence, that came into force in 2014. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday withdrew Turkey from the convention, sparking protests.

Fidan Ataselim, Secretary General of the platform We Will Stop Femicide, spoke in front of the police barricade: "The state makes fun of women's right to life. They think they can annul the Istanbul Convention with the decree they published overnight. We will struggle until every article of the Istanbul Convention is implemented. They say; you attribute too much meaning to pieces of paper, we will solve this problem with conscience. We women do not want conscience. Damn your conscience. Damn your conscience. We women want freedom, we want equality, we want to live. We will not leave these fundamental rights to anyone's conscience. According to the Constitution of the Republic of Turkey; international conventions have the force of law. Laws cannot be abolished by a person. International conventions are accepted in parliament. Only the parliament can annul the contract. Therefore, the Istanbul Convention is still in effect. The Istanbul Convention was signed with the struggle of women. If a state signs an international convention, it must abide by that convention. He cannot cancel that contract after a few years."

We Will Stop Femicide platform spokesperson Ayşen Ece Kavas also spoke in front of the police barricade: "We know very well why they made this decision. They made this decision for a group of secular enemies. Despite all the women, they made this decision. We women will resist for secularism. We are here to stop violence, stop impunity, stop discrimination, stop hatred, stop femicide and enforce the Istanbul Convention. They cannot tolerate women living freely. They cannot tolerate the colors of LGBTIQ + and the rainbow. We live in line with our own decisions, not within the boundaries drawn by others. We will not live according to their traditions. Only we can decide how we live."

This footage was filmed and produced 26 March 2021.

The Istanbul Convention was terminated by the decision of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Feminists and other women's organizations wanted to march to retract the decision. The police set up barricades and prevented women from walking. There was a quarrel between the women and the police. The police pushed the women with their shields. In the protest organized by 5 women's organizations, a banner saying "Withdraw the decision, apply the contract" was opened. LGBTIQ + flags were also carried.

[0:40-3:12] Fidan Ataselim, Secretary General of the Platform We Will Stop Femicide, spoke in front of the police barricade:
– The state makes fun of women's right to life. They think they can annul the Istanbul Convention with the decree they published overnight. We will struggle until every article of the Istanbul Convention is implemented. They say; you attribute too much meaning to pieces of paper, we will solve this problem with conscience. We women do not want conscience. Damn your conscience. Damn your conscience. We women want freedom, we want equality, we want to live. We will not leave these fundamental rights to anyone's conscience. According to the Constitution of the Republic of Turkey; international conventions have the force of law. Laws cannot be abolished by a person. International conventions are accepted in parliament. Only the parliament can annul the contract. Therefore, the Istanbul Convention is still in effect. The Istanbul Convention was signed with the struggle of women. If a state signs an international convention, it must abide by that convention. He cannot cancel that contract after a few years.

[3:19-4:51] We Will Stop Femicide Platform Spokesperson Ayşen Ece Kavas spoke in front of the police barricade:
– We know very well why they made this decision. They made this decision for a group of secular enemies. Despite all the women, they made this decision. We women will resist for secularism. We are here to stop violence, stop impunity, stop discrimination, stop hatred, stop femicide and enforce the Istanbul Convention. They cannot tolerate women living freely. They cannot tolerate the colors of LGBTIQ + and the rainbow. We live in line with our own decisions, not within the boundaries drawn by others. We will not live according to their traditions. Only we can decide how we live.