A Turkish court has indicted 168 people who attempted to organize a demonstration in Istanbul in November 2024 on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Turkish Minute website reported, citing information from the Stockholm Center for Freedom NGO.
The indictment calls for up to three years in prison for 161 people for “violating the law on assemblies and demonstrations“, while seven others are also charged with “resisting the police”, and could face up to six years in prison.
On November 25, 2024, the group attempted to hold a protest on Istiklal Avenue, the main shopping street in the European part of Istanbul. However, the police blocked the demonstration and used force and pepper spray to disperse the crowd. The 168 people named in the indictment were then detained.
The indictment includes the complaints of two Turkish police officers - one of whom claims to have been pushed to the ground during the demonstration, and the other reports an injury to his hand.
The increase in the number of violations of women's rights in Turkey is becoming increasingly alarming, notes the “Turkish Minute“, citing the growing number of cases of femicide, the bans on events organized by human rights groups, and the detentions of women protesting against violence.