European leaders urge Turkey to reverse withdrawal from convention on women's rights
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — European leaders are criticizing Turkey for its decision to withdraw from an international treaty on preventing violence against women, urging Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to "reconsider".
"We cannot but regret deeply and express incomprehension towards the decision of the Turkish government to withdraw from this convention," European Union Minister for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell said on Sunday of the Istanbul convention.
"We urge Turkey to reverse its decision," he added.
The 2011 Istanbul Convention is a binding agreement that requires governments to adopt legislation prosecuting violence against women. Ankara announced its withdrawal from the convention with a presidential decree published in the Official Gazette on Saturday.
Conservatives within Erdogan's ruling party pushed for the withdrawal, claiming the convention damaged family unity, promoted divorce and acceptance of the LGBT community.
President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen reaffirmed her support for the the treaty in a tweet on Sunday, adding that violence against women is not tolerable.
Turkey's decision was met with criticism across the world. United States President Joe Biden called the withdrawal "deeply disappointing."
Turkey's Directorate of Communications released a statement regarding the withdrawal decision on Monday stating that six other countries in the European Union (Bulgaria, Hungary, Czechia, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia) had not ratified the convention, adding that Poland has taken steps to withdraw from it too.
Bianet, an independent Turkish media outlet, has documented 33 women murdered across the country in February at the hands of men.
Another 57 women were assaulted, at least one child was murdered, and at least four children were sexually abused in the same timeframe, according to the outlet. While 104 cases of women being forced into prostitution were recorded.
This is the second time Turkey comes under fire from the international community in less than a week.
Turkey filed a lawsuit to ban the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP) and expelled a member of parliament from the party on Wednesday, moves condemned by both the US and EU.
"We cannot but regret deeply and express incomprehension towards the decision of the Turkish government to withdraw from this convention," European Union Minister for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell said on Sunday of the Istanbul convention.
"We urge Turkey to reverse its decision," he added.
The 2011 Istanbul Convention is a binding agreement that requires governments to adopt legislation prosecuting violence against women. Ankara announced its withdrawal from the convention with a presidential decree published in the Official Gazette on Saturday.
Conservatives within Erdogan's ruling party pushed for the withdrawal, claiming the convention damaged family unity, promoted divorce and acceptance of the LGBT community.
President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen reaffirmed her support for the the treaty in a tweet on Sunday, adding that violence against women is not tolerable.
Turkey's decision was met with criticism across the world. United States President Joe Biden called the withdrawal "deeply disappointing."
Turkey's Directorate of Communications released a statement regarding the withdrawal decision on Monday stating that six other countries in the European Union (Bulgaria, Hungary, Czechia, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia) had not ratified the convention, adding that Poland has taken steps to withdraw from it too.
Bianet, an independent Turkish media outlet, has documented 33 women murdered across the country in February at the hands of men.
Another 57 women were assaulted, at least one child was murdered, and at least four children were sexually abused in the same timeframe, according to the outlet. While 104 cases of women being forced into prostitution were recorded.
This is the second time Turkey comes under fire from the international community in less than a week.
Turkey filed a lawsuit to ban the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP) and expelled a member of parliament from the party on Wednesday, moves condemned by both the US and EU.