Turkey's women take to the streets

Women hold placards in Kadikoy Square, Istanbul, as they protest against Prime Minister Erdogan’s plan for a tough abortion law. He said he considered abortion to be “murder” (AFP)

Thousands of people took to the streets of Istanbul yesterday to protest against plans by Turkey's Prime Minister to bring in a new law on abortion, a practice he has called "murder".

Women of all ages held aloft banners with slogans including "My body, my choice", as they marched to the city's Kadikoy Square.

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan sparked outrage from women's groups last weekend when he delivered two fiery speeches in which he attacked abortion and caesarean births as plots to stall Turkey's economic growth. Abortion, he added, was "murder".

On Tuesday, he said his AK Party was preparing a draft bill on abortion, which has been legal in the country since 1983 until the 10th week after conception.

An estimated 4,000 protesters, mostly women, took part in the rally. They chanted "AKP, keep your hands off my body" and "Tayyip it is none of your business".

Reuters