TekoşinTekin/JINHA

AMED –In the wake of the new Internal Security Law that outlaws traditional Kurdish clothes as "propaganda for illegal organizations," the Bağlar Women's Cooperative is launching a sale on its handmade clothes ahead of March 8, World Women's Day.

The cooperative, whose all-woman team produces the colorful regional clothing of Kurdistan as well as a range of handbags through collective labor, is based in the Bağlar neighborhood of the city of Amed (Diyarbakır).

The recent Internal Security Law, rushed through Turkey's Parliament through questionably legal means by the dominant parties, includes articles that make wearing traditional clothing an offense punishable by up to three years in prison. Kurds and women are especially outraged at efforts to criminalizeregional culture by calling it "propaganda for illegal organizations."

Cooperative chair BesileNarin called on everyone to don traditional clothes in the upcoming celebrations. The group will be opening an exhibition of new designs, combining tradition and modernity, for March 8.

"Because we are a cooperative, our prices are low, because cooperatives should serve the poorest parts of society," said Besile. "We've lowered our prices even more because we want everyone to wear our communally-produced clothes this March 8."

(ny/fk/mg/cm)