Turkish women have no representation in high judiciary anymore: Main opposition party

ANKARA

Turkish president, prime minister and other officials attend the oath-taking ceremony for a newly elected member of the Constitutional Court, Kadir Özkaya. Tanrıkulu said the Constitutional Court being without any female members actually shows the level of importance the AKP gives to women. AA Photo

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Vice Chairman Sezgin Tanrıkulu has said women lack representation at the Constitutional Court, following the retirement of the sole female at the court due to a restriction on age.

Tanrıkulu also stated that women lack representatives in all fields of life under the current Justice and Development Party (AKP) rule.

Tanrıkulu said the Constitutional Court being without any female members actually shows the level of importance the AKP gives to women.

“In a process where women killings are unfortunately on the rise and when it is very important to create equal opportunities and implement positive discrimination toward women, traces of women have been erased from the Constitutional Court and the court has become male-dominant,” said Tanrıkulu in a written statement on Feb. 3, adding that like in all parts of the society, “woman had no representatives” in the judiciary system either.

“Women Have No Representatives” is the name of a legendary book by Duygu Asena, a best-selling writer and crusader for women’s rights in Turkey who died in 2006.

The influential book reached millions of women from different generations. Published for the first time in 1987, it printed 40 editions within that year. Currently, its 64th edition is on the shelves.

The book was banned in 1988 by the government, which found it to be lewd and obscene. The ban was lifted after a two-year battle in court.