JINHA

MERSİN – In Mersin, Turkey, the state has opened an investigation into 12 women related to a celebration of March 8, International Women’s Day.

Turkish state prosecutors filed charges against six women in the town of Mersin for attending a rally last year for March 8, International Women’s Day. The first hearing in their case took place on November 25 (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women). Activists from the Mersin Women’s Platform made a statement outside the courthouse in protest.

State prosecutors have now started an investigation into the women who came to court that day, including municipal employees and city council members.

Police called in the women for questioning, asking them questions about what the city government’s women’s assembly does and whether they were members of the assembly.

(gc/cm)