Amed- Protests that began following the killing of Nagihan Akarsel, Jineolojî Academy member and Jineolojî Journal Editorial Board member, in an armed attack in Sulaymaniyah yesterday morning, continue. Yesterday, a group of women gathered in Amed (Diyarbakır) to hold a march in order to condemn the killing of Nagihan Akarsel; however, police stopped them and detained six people, including journalists.

Dozens of women were battered by police

Police used tear gas against women to stop the women. The women were blockaded and subjected to mistreatment for hours by police. Protesting the police blockade, the women chanted the “Jin, Jiyan, Azadi (Women, Life, Freedom) slogan. After the end of the police blockade, women went to hospital in order to take a report showing that they were battered by police. The women will file a criminal complaint against the police.

“Women stand by Nagihan”

Lawyer Ruşen Seydaoğlu, one of the women, who were subjected to mistreatment by police, pointed out that women are deprived of their democratic rights. Stating that women stand by Nagihan Akarsel, she said, “We came together in Amed to show women’s resistance against the murder of Nagihan Akarsel. The state attacked a group of women consisting of lawyers, politicians and activists, by using almost all its might. Police blockaded women and fired tear gas on them, almost causing the death of asthma patients. Despite everything, the women resisted without giving up. Like Nagihan, we have no other way but to resist and fight.”

They will file a criminal complaint against police

“The women did not give up despite the police blockade and mistreatment,” Ruşen Seydaoğlu said, pointing out that the women would file a criminal complaint against the police. “Actually, women are at the forefront of resistances all over the world. They struggle against the patriarchal mentality in many countries such as Iran, Tunisia and Afghanistan. As part of this struggle, women held a peaceful protest today; however, police attacked them and detained people, including journalists,” she told us.

Detained people were released

Police took six people during the protest: The names of detained people are: Mesopotamia Agency (MA) reporter Eylem Akdağ, journalist Azat Taşkın, Workers' Party of Turkey (TİP) Diyarbakır Provincial chair Salih Sargın and Vedat Saçan, Fermander Kardeş and Pehlivan Jiyan Şurzan. 

Six people were charged with “opposing the Law on Demonstrations and Marches No. 2911” and “making terrorist propaganda”. They were released at 02.20.