In a rare victory for a Turkish rights group, a court in Turkey has rejected attempts to shut down the leading anti-femicide campaign group, the We Will Stop Femicide Platform. The court's decision came amidst Ankara's efforts to repair ties with Western allies following President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's extended rule into a third decade after the May elections.

The courtroom was filled with cheers from the group's members and supporters when the presiding judge dropped the case after four hearings that stretched over 15 months. The secretary general of the campaign group, Fidan Ataselim, expressed hope that this decision would restore trust in the justice system and vowed to continue fighting for women's rights across Turkey.

Riot police were seen cordoning off the courthouse and detaining two supporters of the campaign group prior to the hearing. The prosecutors had sought to close the group, accusing them of acting against the law and morality, but the group argued that the charges were politically motivated and were never given a clear explanation of which laws they had violated.

The We Will Stop Femicide Platform has been actively campaigning against the murder and abuse of women in Turkey since 2010. They have faced criticism from Islamic conservatives for speaking out against President Erdogan's decision to withdraw from a European convention aimed at combatting violence against women, as well as for advocating for LGBTQ rights.

Erdogan himself has publicly denounced the LGBTQ community and their supporters. According to the group, 403 women were murdered in Turkey last year, and 423 have been murdered in 2021 so far. The prosecution of the group raised concerns among human rights organizations, as it followed a string of controversial jailings of Erdogan's opponents and journalists.

However, there are signs of a change in tone in Turkey after the May elections, as the country reaffirmed its commitment to resume negotiations to join the European Union and has been seeking to repair relations with Armenia and Greece. While the EU has called for tangible progress in Turkey's commitment to democracy and the rule of law, talks have begun on expanding a customs union that was first signed almost three decades ago.