A lawsuit has been filed against 33 women for issuing a press statement about the Istanbul Convention, and Mezopotamya News Agency reporter Eylem Akdağ for covering the press statement.

News Center- Ankara Women’s Platform issued a press statement on August 12, 2020, to protest the discussion on withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention. A lawsuit has been filed against 33 women for issuing the press statement and against Mezopotamya News Agency (MA) reporter Eylem Akdağ for covering the press statement.

33 women, including Freedom Lawyers Association (ÖHD) member lawyer Arzu Kurt, Toplumsa Hukuk Grubu (Social Law Group) member lawyer Sevinç Hocaoğulları, Halkevleri (Community Centre) chairperson Nebiye Merttürk and Mezopotamya News Agency reporter Eylem Akdağ, have faced up to three years imprisonment for allegedly “contravening Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations”.

The first hearing will be held on June 7.