KESK's Criminal Complaint Against Religious Sermons: "Targeting Women's Most Fundamental Rights"

ANKARA - The Confederation of Public Employees' Trade Unions (KESK) has filed a nationwide criminal complaint against the Directorate of Religious Affairs for allegedly targeting the fundamental rights of women and girls in recent sermons. KESK-affiliated women said the sermons carried a provocative language that paved the way for violence against women.

Justification of the Criminal Complaint

According to the KESK statement, the language used by the Diyanet in its sermons seeks to undermine the most basic rights of women and girls. The union claims that such publications pave the way for all kinds of violence that women may experience when they try to exercise their rights. KESK women have filed criminal complaints in Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir and Adıyaman in order to react against this provocative attitude and to fight it through legal means.

Fight Moved to Legal Ground

KESK Women's Commission members stated that the statements in the Diyanet's sermons are contrary to gender equality and aim to set women's place in society backwards. The union stated that this action is an indication of their determination to protect women's rights and fight against violence. KESK emphasized that they will follow the legal process and will not give up defending women's rights.