Thousands of animal rights activists gathered in Istanbul and Ankara, Turkey, on Saturday to protest against a new law permitting the killing of stray animals, denouncing it as a massacre. “Even if this bill becomes law, our fight will not end,” stated Sevcan Çamlıdağ from the Life for Animals Initiative.
The protest in Istanbul, organised by the Life for Animals Initiative and Animal Freedom Initiative, was held at Kadıköy. Political party representatives and union members joined the demonstrators, who carried banners and chanted slogans against the government, such as “AKP resign”, “Murderous AKP” and “Withdraw the law”.
In a public statement, Çamlıdağ condemned the government’s actions as a genocide against street animals. “We are very angry, but equally determined and resilient. We will not allow a single animal to be harmed. This law is supported by elites who seek to profit from constructing what they call shelters, which are in reality death camps,” she said.
Meanwhile, in Ankara, activists continued their 65-day-long protest in front of Çankaya District Municipality, calling on MPs to vote against the law in the upcoming parliamentary session. Aslı Şahin, speaking on behalf of the initiatives, warned that the law would condemn stray dogs to suffer in shelters and face euthanasia under vague provisions. “We will never abandon our friends who share every part of our lives,” she declared.
Çamlıdağ highlighted that animal rights activists were barred from attending parliamentary commission meetings, and the government sought to pass the law without public scrutiny. “They want to keep the discussions behind closed doors. We were assaulted and arrested for opposing this law. Now, they have banned public entry to Parliament,” she added.
She also criticised pro-government media for misleading the public about the law, noting that honest information was only available through live broadcasts and social media posts from opposition MPs. “We see through all manipulations thanks to the integrity of opposition MPs who stood against this law,” said Çamlıdağ.
Emphasising the historical significance of their struggle, Çamlıdağ urged continued resistance and community organisation. “Even if this bill becomes law, our fight will not end. We will protect every single one of our friends. It is time to organise in our neighbourhoods and streets. We can stop this law, and we will continue our fight until animal rights are enshrined in the constitution,” she vowed.
Turkey’s Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı has warned that municipal mayors who refuse to comply with the proposed “mass euthanasia” legislation for stray animals could face prison sentences ranging from six months to two years.
