Erdogan and rights don’t go together
Increasing oppression, prohibitions and tendency towards violence paint a frustrating picture as we approach the elections.
The state of both Erdogan and Turkey in a year certainly depends on the nearing elections and the effects of their outcome. Should he win again, it will be very hard to think of a bright future in terms of fundamental human rights and women’s rights in Turkey. Things have been worse for women ever since Turkey pulled out of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence – also known as the Istanbul Convention – with a Presidential Order on March 20, 2021.
We can readily observe the effects of a sense of non-enforcement, or lack thereof, through the increasing numbers of murders and violent acts committed against women as well as in the rising misogynistic discourse in all areas. Also rapidly rising is hate speech against LGBTIQ+ people along with prohibitions and oppression.
Add to these the recent back-to-back cancellations of many music festivals and concerts – especially of those by female singers – with no convincing reason or argument, the general feeling around secular opposition circles and women’s organizations is now as follows: If this is already the situation on the way to the elections, things will get much worse if the existing mentality wins again.
If the opposition wins, it will be equally important what kind of opposition character comes to power.
On the other hand, there’s a concerning aspect in terms of possible outcomes in case the opposition wins the elections: There’s a right-wing (even fascist, according to some) group within the opposition which aims to gain power by exploiting the militaristic and racist tendencies within society in this suffocating environment, largely brought on by the extremely high cost of living and uncontrolled immigration.
There’s enough evidence to argue that both women’s rights and fundamental rights encompassing the wider society serve as stepping stones for this group until they manage to seize power. Therefore, it is of vital importance for the country’s future what kind of opposition structure / character would be in place.
In that regard, I believe a more democratic, egalitarian CHP led by Kemal Kilicdaroglu with full support from smaller opposition parties on the “Table of Six” as well as the HDP, in line with international legal inclinations about women’s rights and LQBTIQ+ issues, might provide a rather optimistic outlook for the future.
Zehra Celenk, author and columnist at Gazete Duvar, human rights expert.
* This opinion piece is part of an in-depth look by 10 analysts, journalists and experts into Turkey ahead of the June 2023 elections: Where will Turkey be a year from now?
