NEWS CENTER - Turkey officially withdrew from an international treaty to prevent violence against women, enacting a decision that drew condemnation from many Turks and Western allies when President Tayyip Erdogan announced it in March. The withdrawal was published in the official gazette.
Thousands were set to protest across Turkey, where a court appeal to halt the withdrawal was rejected this week.
The Istanbul Convention, negotiated in Turkey's biggest city and signed in 2011, committed its signatories to prevent and prosecute domestic violence and promote equality.