On International Women’s Day, March 8, when women all over the world cry out their demands for equality, justice, and freedom, we took to the streets of Berlin. We marched not only for ourselves, but for the women in Turkey who are persecuted for political reasons, unjustly deprived of their freedom, and torn from their motherhood, families, and all social ties.
We hit the roads with our now-traditional “iron bars” prop, which has become a powerful symbol of our resistance. Our goal was to expose the tragedy experienced by women who are thrown behind bars simply for their dissenting identities or philanthropic profiles, bringing this harsh reality to the heart of Europe, here in Berlin.
During the march, we reached out to the people around us not only with our voices but also with detailed flyers we prepared and distributed. These texts, explaining the severe human rights violations in Turkey, played a critical role in bringing the gravity of the situation to the attention of the international public.
Women in Turkey: Systematic Oppression Since 2016
As we heavily underlined in the flyers we handed out, women in Turkey have been struggling to survive under increasing oppression and persecution since the coup attempt in 2016. The state of emergency declared after the July 15, 2016 coup attempt marked the beginning of a systematic suppression and total disregard for women’s rights.
Behind the injustices we shouted about in the squares lie terrifying statistics and deeply human stories:
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Tens of thousands of women have been arbitrarily arrested and imprisoned without even the semblance of a fair trial.
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A vast majority of these arrests were carried out solely under the pretext of alleged links to the Gülen movement.
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The reality is so absurd that women were deprived of their freedom simply for attending certain schools or using specific mobile applications.
Mothers, Babies, and Severe Human Rights Violations
Perhaps the most heartbreaking part of this cruelty is the horrific treatment of mothers and children. The faces we symbolized behind the iron bars we carried on the streets of Berlin actually represented the mothers currently suffering in prisons.
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In Turkey, pregnant women and mothers with small children have been ruthlessly thrown into prison cells.
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According to current data, more than 2,500 pregnant women and mothers have been arrested and are currently held captive.
Furthermore, the detention and imprisonment processes are fraught with severe human rights violations. Numerous reports published by human rights organizations shed light on the widespread use of torture, humiliation, and sexual violence against imprisoned women in all its stark reality. It stands before us as a bitter truth that severe mistreatment and sexual violence frequently occur during arrests and detentions.
A Social and Economic Devastation
The oppressive regime in Turkey did not just physically imprison women; it also completely isolated them from social and economic life.
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The fundamental rights to education and work were forcibly taken from women.
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Tens of thousands of female teachers and civil servants were unjustly dismissed, stripping them of their livelihoods.
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In the process, over 1,000 women’s centers, associations, media outlets, and educational institutions were forcibly closed down, effectively destroying women’s solidarity networks.
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Women associated with the Gülen movement or other critical groups have been deliberately marginalized, socially ostracized, and subjected to intimidation within society.
Today, the sheer horror of the situation is reflected in the numbers: More than 17,000 women are currently in prison. More than 100,000 women have been disenfranchised, stripped of their most basic rights, and either forced into a “civil death” or driven into exile, having to flee their homeland.
Unjust! Inhumane! Do Not Remain Silent to Human Rights Violations!
The voice we raised in Berlin on March 8 is a direct reflex against this horrific injustice. As we boldly emphasized in our flyers: what is happening is undeniably unjust and inhumane.
We are determined to continue our struggle for women’s rights and justice. We will remain in the squares until the last woman behind iron bars regains her freedom, and until mothers can finally embrace their children again.
Remaining silent about human rights violations means becoming an accomplice to them. We invite everyone to speak out against this injustice and break the silence. Let’s fight together for the most fundamental rights of women!
Greetings from Berlin to all captive women in Turkey. You are not alone; we will continue to be your voice!
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