Istanbul, 9 March 2025 (dpa/MIA) – Turkish authorities detained 112 people in Istanbul during demonstrations on International Women's Day, releasing all but one who remained in custody, the organizers reported on Sunday.

Demonstrations to mark the event, which was held on Saturday this year, have for years been banned in Istanbul. The justification provided this year was that they could jeopardize "public order and social peace."

On Saturday, hundreds of people gathered in a peaceful protest in the city centre in defiance of the ban, calling out slogans such as "Long live our feminist struggle."

According to the "We will stop femicides" platform, so far this year 59 women have been killed by men in Turkey.

Besides Istanbul, there were demonstrations in other Turkish cities as well against violence directed at women and at LGBTQI people.

The Turkish government is openly opposed to LGBTQI standpoints and has termed 2025 "The Year of the Family." This has been interpreted by many as open opposition to those with lifestyles not in line with traditional family structures.

The vice president of the RTÜK state media supervisory body has announced a programme to "combat" sexual minorities in the media. RTÜK monitors radio and television broadcasts, online media and print outlets and is able to impose penalties.

Photo: EPA