Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) Istanbul Women's Assembly wanted to make a statement in front of the Repatriation Center in Çatalca with the slogan “We are against discrimination against migrant and refugee women”. The women were informed by the police that the district governor's office had issued a one-week “ban” on demonstrations and events in and around Çatalca. Upon this, the women made a statement at the DEM Party Avcılar district organization building. The statement was attended by representatives of Migration Monitoring Association (GÖÇİZDER), Istanbul Peace Mothers Initiative, DEM Party Istanbul MP Özgül Saki, as well as many representatives of women's organizations. 

 

TORTURE AND ILL-TREATMENT

 

Kamile Kandal, Co-Chair of GÖÇİZDER, pointed out that migrants are subjected to torture, ill-treatment, denial of access to the right to health and malnutrition, and that migrant women are systematically subjected to racism and violence because of their identity. Kamile Kandal also stated that there are hygiene problems in Removal Centers and that migrants are subjected to violence, insults and abuse by the center officials. 

 

“It is also known that migrant women are forced to 'voluntary repatriation' process with various threats and pressures in the centers. There are also violations of migrant women's rights such as not being able to access services in their mother tongue, not being able to access legal information and legal counseling, being ill-treated and discriminated against.” 

 

Kamile Kandal reminded that on October 31, 2024, images of migrants held in Çatalca Repatriation Center were reflected in the press where they tried to make their voices heard due to the violence they were subjected to and the poor conditions in the center. Kamile Kanda emphasized that they will continue to fight against male state violence in every field as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women approaches on November 25. 

 

'REPATRIATION CENTERS MUST BE CLOSED'

 

Speaking afterwards, DEM Party MP Özgül Saki stated that as a result of the state's policies, migrants were turned into a bargaining chip in relations between countries and said that refugees were subjected to sexual assault at the Repatriation Centers. Özgül Saki said, “The Minister of Interior also knows that the Repatriation Centers are torture centers. All our applications are rejected with various excuses and frivolous reasons. Repatriation Centers must be closed. Immediately open the Repatriation Centers doors to the inspection of women's organizations, democratic organizations and professional organizations.” 

 

DEMANDS

 

The following were demanded from the Directorate of Migration Management and the Ministry of Interior in order to put an end to torture and ill-treatment in Repatriation Centers:

 

“*Preventing the referral of migrant women to Repatriation Centers when they use their remedies against male violence, ensuring that the number of people staying in wards and rooms in Repatriation Centers is appropriate to the capacity of the area, that beds, pillows, blankets and bed linen are clean, and that adequate nutrition and clean drinking water are provided, 

 

*Providing health services in accordance with the requirements of medical science and observing patients' rights, not collectively during the examination phase, preventing public officials in charge of removal centers from committing crimes, subjecting torture, ill-treatment, sexual harassment, bribery and similar crimes to effective investigations, and ensuring that migrants have access to legal remedies and translators.”