With the call of the Lawyer's Voice Initiative, a mass press statement was held in front of the Istanbul Courthouse against violence against animals and animal rights violations.
In the statement, it was argued that investigations into animal deaths and practices in shelters, which were reported to have occurred in different cities after the legal regulation made in 2024, remained inconclusive.
Following the action, an application was made to the International Geneva Animal Rights Court with the signatures of 75 people.
Kadıköy Street Animals Forum, Populist Nature and Animal Lovers, Suruç Families Initiative, representatives of various mass organizations and animal rights advocates attended the press release with the call "Don't be silent, don't be afraid. Protect and keep alive."
Members of the Lawyer's Voice Initiative in Action: Atty. Gülsevin Sönmez, Av. Nur Meşe and Av. Doğan Zafer Çıngı spoke with Hande Sonsöz on behalf of the associations and Safiye Arslan spoke on behalf of Populist Nature and Animal Lovers.
“ANIMALS AND ANIMAL LOVERS NEED JUSTICE IN THIS COUNTRY”
In the speeches, attention was drawn to the events that occurred after the legal regulation regarding animals in 2024. A speaker stated that while the regulation was being made, statements were made that animals would not be killed, and that many animals were killed in different cities after the regulation.
The speaker said that 45 dogs were collected from garbage bags in Gebze, and a month later hundreds of dogs were taken out of "dungeon-type wells" in Ümraniye, and argued that no permission was given for an investigation into these incidents.
Speaker lawyer Nur Meşe, who called on the Ministry of Internal Affairs, said:
"There is a massacre in this country. There are images of this massacre. However, there is no permission to investigate. Animals and animal lovers need justice in this country. In 2024, massacres came one after another. We collected dogs with their heads cut off in Niğde. Each of them had images. In Ankara Mamak, we photographed a dog that had to tear a garbage bag and get out of it. But nothing happened to anyone, except those who took that photo. Those who seek justice in this country are punished."
“I DO NOT ACCEPT THIS LAW”
Reacting to the practices towards animals, Meşe said, "As a human, as a Muslim, as a woman, do not teach me mercy. I do not accept this law."
Those who participated in the protest chanted the slogan "The state does not kill, the state makes people live."
THEY BROUGHT ALLEGATIONS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST ANIMAL LOVERS ON THE AGENDA
Incidents of violence against animal lovers were also mentioned in the speech. While it was stated that Sinem Güçlü's family was killed with 28 bullets just for feeding a dog, attention was drawn to the fact that an animal lover known as "Auntie Necla" lost her life in a fire that broke out in her home after being targeted. It was stated that the file regarding the incident was closed with the evaluation of "an accident".
Meşe said, "In this country, animal lovers were murdered as well as animals, and animal lovers were also subjected to violence. However, no one was held accountable."
Stating that they have made many applications regarding allegations of violence against animals, Meşe stated that volunteer lawyers of the Istanbul Bar Association, ARTİ and the Lawyer's Voice Initiative have brought the incidents in question to court.
“SHELTERS ARE CLOSED TO VISITS”
In the statement, which also reacted to the conditions in the shelters, it was claimed that the responsible public officials did not change after the events, but some shelters were closed to citizens' visits.
Meşe said, "Citizens' visits to the shelters were closed while animals were being killed with hunger and misery in closed, well-type, dungeon-type shelters, under stairs, in fish piles."
APPLICATION TO GENEVA WITH 75 SIGNATURES
Following the press release, animal rights defenders filed an application with the signatures of 75 people to the International Geneva Animal Rights Court regarding the rights violations and allegations of violence against animals.
