Tension over 'hand gesture' in Turkish Parliament: DEM Party and AKP clash

Speaking on behalf of the DEM Party during the group proposal in the General Assembly regarding the "investigation of violence and murders against women," Mersin MP Perihan Koca stated that one week before International Women's Day on March 8, 8 women had been murdered by men in Turkey in the last 24 hours.

"8 FEMICIDES ARE NOT ISOLATED INCIDENTS"

Koca said, "The 8 femicides committed within 24 hours are neither coincidental nor isolated. These murders are political. They are the product and severe consequence of the anti-women policies pursued by the government. The MPs sitting here in the government seats bear responsibility for these murders."

"LISTEN, I WILL TEACH YOU"

Speaking on behalf of the AKP regarding the DEM Party's proposal, Erzurum MP Fatma Öncü attempted to explain the AKP's policies on women to the MPs in the DEM Party benches by saying, "Listen, I will teach you."

Öncü said, "It is wrong to look at this issue from a political perspective. Then we would ask you this: the most striking examples of violence against women are terrorist organizations. Why don't you talk about the women who are abducted and abused there? Your efforts to gain political leverage are in vain. Since 2002, our struggle regarding policies on women—listen, I will teach you—has been continuing without limits..."

Following her speech, Öncü claimed that DEM Party MP Koca had made a "hand gesture" toward her while she was speaking at the podium and requested that action be taken regarding the matter.

"WHEN WE EXAMINED THE RECORDS, THERE IS NO SUCH FOOTAGE"

Parliament Speaker Bekir Bozdağ, addressing Fatma Öncü's allegation, said, "We did not observe anything regarding the alleged issue. When we examined the TRT and parliamentary records, there is no such footage or recording. Therefore, we do not have the authority to take any action."

Following Bozdağ's remarks, reactions began to come from the AKP benches in the General Assembly. Bozdağ stated, "Action is taken here according to the internal regulations. I did not see it, my colleagues in the bureau did not see it. I had the records examined, and it is not in the records either."

"IF THE ANSWER TO 'LET'S PROTECT WOMEN' IS 'TERROR', THIS IS IRRESPONSIBILITY"

DEM Party Group Deputy Chair Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit stated regarding femicides, "When we say 'let Parliament address this issue, let an investigation commission be established,' and we are answered from the podium with 'terror,' this is irresponsibility. We are saying 'let's keep women alive.' The AKP calls us 'terror'."

"MANY DEPUTIES SAW IT"

AKP Group Deputy Chair Bahadır Nihat Yenişehirlioğlu also said regarding the issue, "A female deputy's behavior toward our deputy—she is referred to as disabled, but we accept her as non-disabled...

While she was making her speech, many deputies here personally saw a behavior that even a man would be ashamed to perform.

The parliament's cameras are fixed, they might not have seen it, but we cannot ignore that this gesture was made. While talking about women's rights, if one female deputy makes that obscene gesture toward another that even a man would not make, she must apologize."

"IT IS OUT OF THE QUESTION"

Koca said, "As a female deputy who comes from the women's liberation struggle and the feminist movement, I absolutely do not accept this manipulation. Such a gesture as described is out of the question. I would consider it a disgrace to myself."

News Source: 12punto