Animal rights groups in Turkey on Wednesday protested against a proposed bill which activists fear would allow the mass killing of stray dogs and other animals in certain cases.
A parliamentary commission began debating the controversial bill amid protests from activists and opposition lawmakers.
Demonstrators gathered in Istanbul, holding up signs reading “Murder” in Turkish, and calling on the government to withdraw the plan.
Activists have been mobilising across numerous cities, including the metropolises of Istanbul and the capital Ankara, against the plan brought by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) party.
The draft bill, seen by dpa, proposes changes to a 2004 animal protection law to allow for the euthanasia of street animals in certain cases.
If it passes the commission, the proposal is expected to be legalised in parliament where Erdoğan’s AKP holds a majority.
The bill urges local authorities to collect stray animals and place them in shelters, with the aim of finding them a home.
Yet, euthanasia is an option in case, for example, the animal is aggressive,“ poses a “danger to public safety” or has contagious diseases.
Activists say how exactly the euthanasia decision is made remains vague.
Local media previously reported that the AKP plans to put the animals to sleep unless they are adopted after 30 days.
This detail is not in the current draft. Activists criticise, however, that the criteria for killing the animals are still unclear
