Women and Gay Right Groups Marchers Protest the Turkish Penal Code Reform Bill
Demonstrators from Women and Gay Right Groups marched on September 15, 2004 in front of the Turkish Parliament to protest the proposed legislation which aims to make adultery a criminal offence and gives no reference to discrimination based on sexual orientation.
The Turkish Grand National Assembly in Ankara convened on September 14, 2004, Tuesday for an extraordinary session to begin debate on a raft of amendments to the country’s Penal Code, in what will be the greatest overhaul of Turkey’s laws since the code was put in place in 1926. At the same time more than 500 demonstrators from Women and Gay Right Groups marched peacefully on the Turkish Parliament to protest the proposed legislation which aims to make adultery a criminal offence and gives no reference to discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Banner read such as:
‘Our bodies are ours, hands off!’
‘Deputies, end violence (against women), forget about adultery’
The penal code reform bill aims to ease Turkey's entry into the European Union. There are very positive changes such as stiffer punishments on rapists, pedophiles, torturers, human traffickers and mothers who kill children born out of wedlock. New Penal Code also recognizes rape in marriage and sexual harassment as crimes. However there are a lot of major overhauls.
Protestors voiced their concern that ambiguous language of the New Penal Code opens it to the possibility of misuse, which in turn could lead to a restriction of freedoms.
During the protests, the adultery ban is being considered one of the major overhauls of the new penal code. Women's groups said such a law would lead to women being imprisoned and losing custody of their children, and they warn the measure would encourage ‘honor killings’ in which family members kill girls or women for disgracing the family. The government has also come under fire abroad, especially from European Union, for plans to make adultery a criminal offence.
Protestors demanded the Turkish Parliament to put “discrimination based on sexual orientation” back into the Penal Code draft.
Another issue that protesters condemned was outlawing teenage sex. However government officials have not commented publicly on that issue. Protesters pointed out that penalizing consensual sexual relations between teenagers aged 15 to 18 is considered as a backlash when it comes to Turkish citizens’ individual rights.
Another objectionable law would be neglecting to explicitly ban and criminalize virginity testing.
Previously, Ilknur Ustun of KA-DER, a leading Turkish woman rights group which seeks a more active role for women in Turkish politics, said the bill is ‘a step backwards’ in a country where polygamy is banned - although widely practiced in the countryside - and women gained the right to vote in 1934, long before most of Western Europe. She also deplored the lack of any mention in the bill concerning the rights of homosexuals.
‘It's as if they didn't exist,’ she said.
The march was peaceful apart from some minor scuffles, and deputies from opposition Republican People Party emerged from the sprawling parliamentary complex to greet the demonstrators and usher them into the House to listen to the debate. 7 women and gay platforms and representatives from 80 women right organizations watched the first Parliamentary Session about the new Turkish Penal Code.
The ruling Justice and Development Party parliamentary group is planning to work for four days between September 14 and September 17, 2004 on the new Turkish Penal Code, before returning to their holidays, which will end on October 1, 2004. The opposition Republican People also agreed for Turkish Parliament to work between 11 AM and 1 PM and 2 PM and 10 PM until the weekend to finish the debates on the new penal code reform.
The Turkish Grand National Assembly in Ankara convened on September 14, 2004, Tuesday for an extraordinary session to begin debate on a raft of amendments to the country’s Penal Code, in what will be the greatest overhaul of Turkey’s laws since the code was put in place in 1926. At the same time more than 500 demonstrators from Women and Gay Right Groups marched peacefully on the Turkish Parliament to protest the proposed legislation which aims to make adultery a criminal offence and gives no reference to discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Banner read such as:
‘Our bodies are ours, hands off!’
‘Deputies, end violence (against women), forget about adultery’
The penal code reform bill aims to ease Turkey's entry into the European Union. There are very positive changes such as stiffer punishments on rapists, pedophiles, torturers, human traffickers and mothers who kill children born out of wedlock. New Penal Code also recognizes rape in marriage and sexual harassment as crimes. However there are a lot of major overhauls.
Protestors voiced their concern that ambiguous language of the New Penal Code opens it to the possibility of misuse, which in turn could lead to a restriction of freedoms.
During the protests, the adultery ban is being considered one of the major overhauls of the new penal code. Women's groups said such a law would lead to women being imprisoned and losing custody of their children, and they warn the measure would encourage ‘honor killings’ in which family members kill girls or women for disgracing the family. The government has also come under fire abroad, especially from European Union, for plans to make adultery a criminal offence.
Protestors demanded the Turkish Parliament to put “discrimination based on sexual orientation” back into the Penal Code draft.
Another issue that protesters condemned was outlawing teenage sex. However government officials have not commented publicly on that issue. Protesters pointed out that penalizing consensual sexual relations between teenagers aged 15 to 18 is considered as a backlash when it comes to Turkish citizens’ individual rights.
Another objectionable law would be neglecting to explicitly ban and criminalize virginity testing.
Previously, Ilknur Ustun of KA-DER, a leading Turkish woman rights group which seeks a more active role for women in Turkish politics, said the bill is ‘a step backwards’ in a country where polygamy is banned - although widely practiced in the countryside - and women gained the right to vote in 1934, long before most of Western Europe. She also deplored the lack of any mention in the bill concerning the rights of homosexuals.
‘It's as if they didn't exist,’ she said.
The march was peaceful apart from some minor scuffles, and deputies from opposition Republican People Party emerged from the sprawling parliamentary complex to greet the demonstrators and usher them into the House to listen to the debate. 7 women and gay platforms and representatives from 80 women right organizations watched the first Parliamentary Session about the new Turkish Penal Code.
The ruling Justice and Development Party parliamentary group is planning to work for four days between September 14 and September 17, 2004 on the new Turkish Penal Code, before returning to their holidays, which will end on October 1, 2004. The opposition Republican People also agreed for Turkish Parliament to work between 11 AM and 1 PM and 2 PM and 10 PM until the weekend to finish the debates on the new penal code reform.
