Protesters urge end to violence against women in Turkey

ISTANBUL (AP) — Thousands of people joined a Women’s Day march in central Istanbul to denounce violence against women in Turkey, where more than 400 women were killed last year. The demonstrators on Monday called for measures to stop attacks on women by former partners or family members as well as government commitment to a European treaty on combatting violence against women. Some officials from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s party have advocated a review of the agreement, claiming it encourages divorce and promotes LGBT culture which they say are contrary to the country’s conservative values. A total of 68 were women killed in the country since the start of the year, according to the We Will Stop Femicide Platform. At least 408 women were killed in 2020, according to the group.