On Monday, police in Istanbul detained many people who tried to join a rally demanding better protection for women in Turkey, where over 400 women have been killed this year.

To commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the protesters attempted to enter Istiklal, the main pedestrian street, despite the fact that all protests in the area were prohibited. Police had earlier blocked all access to Istiklal and Taksim, the city's central plaza, and closed a number of metro stations to stop crowds.

A large number of protesters were demonstrating against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's 2021 decision to remove Turkey from the Istanbul Convention, a historic European pact. The treaty was signed in Istanbul in 2011 with the goal of protecting women from assault. Erdogan made his decision after some members of his Islamic-based ruling party criticised the treaty, saying it promoted LGBTQ+ rights and other values they felt conflicted with Turkey's traditional family beliefs.

Erdogan reaffirmed his government's commitment to defending women on Monday, dismissing calls for Turkiye to return to the convention. We Will Stop Femicide, a local advocacy group, reports that 411 women were murdered in Turkiye in 2024.