ISTANBUL — In a series of events on Monday, authorities in Istanbul apprehended numerous individuals who attempted to participate in a demonstration aimed at advocating for enhanced protection for women in Turkey. This comes at a troubling time when it has been reported that over 400 women have lost their lives due to violence this year alone.

The protesters were attempting to access Istiklal Avenue, the primary pedestrian thoroughfare, to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. However, this effort was met with resistance as officials had implemented a prohibition on gatherings in that region.

In anticipation of the demonstration, law enforcement set up barricades at all entrances to Istiklal Avenue, as well as in Taksim Square, a central area in the city. Additionally, several metro stations were closed to preemptively curb any potential mass congregations of demonstrators.

A significant portion of those protesting expressed their opposition to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s 2021 decision to withdraw Turkey from the Istanbul Convention—an important European treaty established in 2011 aimed at safeguarding women against violence. The withdrawal was fueled by allegations from some members within Erdogan’s Islamic-oriented governing party, claiming that the agreement endorsed LGBTQ+ rights and other principles they argued conflicted with Turkey’s conventional family values.

On the day of the protests, President Erdogan reiterated his dismissal of the demands advocating for Turkey’s rejoining of the Istanbul Convention, asserting his administration’s ongoing commitment to women’s safety and protection. Meanwhile, the local organization We Will Stop Femicide has reported that 411 women have been murdered in Turkey up to this point in 2024, highlighting the urgency of the issues surrounding gender-based violence in the nation.