The Administrative Courts Board of the Council of State, the top administrative court in Turkey, upheld the decision rejecting the request for the cancellation of the Presidential decree for the withdrawal of Turkey from the İstanbul Convention.
Following the withdrawal of Turkey from the İstanbul Convention with a presidential decree on March 20, women and LGBTI+s had brought the case before the Council of State and the Council of State had rejected the request for annulment with 3 to 2 votes, on July 19.
The Administrative Courts Board of the Council of State, the top administrative court in Turkey, upheld the decision rejecting the request for the cancellation of the Presidential decree for the withdrawal of Turkey from the Istanbul Convention.
With the verdict, Turkey officially withdrew from the İstanbul Convention.
“Like staging a theater play”
The Chairperson of the Federation of Women’s Associations of Turkey, Canan Güllü said that this was “a strategy to run down the clock” and added, “This is not lawful. The Council of State held four hearings as if they were staging a theater play for the women coming from all around Turkey. The judges had fun in this process. Withdrawal from the Convention is unlawful and it is the proof of a single-man rule. Those who cannot stand up to this should not wear a robe.”
She said the next step will be the Constitutional Court, and if no solution can be found there, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).
Following the verdict, Women’s Platform for Equality also agreed that they would apply to the Constitutional Court for the İstanbul Convention: “Our request, about hearing the three experts who signed the UN Expert Opinion, which issued a call for Turkey to return to the İstanbul Convention and for Council of State to clear the way for it to happen, was disregarded.
Turkey may not be a party however the ratification law no. 6251, and accordingly the İstanbul Convention, is still in force. In addition we have not exhausted domestic remedies yet. Next step is the Constitutional Court. No one should expect us to recognize the verdict or to give up on the İstanbul Convention.”