As in prior years, a district governor’s office in İstanbul has announced that the central Taksim neighborhood and its vicinity are prohibited areas for demonstrations or marches on International Women’s Day, March 8. In a statement released on Friday, the Beyoğlu district governor’s office announced that no meetings, protests, marches, or demonstrations are permitted in the venues or streets of the area, including Taksim Square. It stated that the planned Women’s Day march has been prohibited to safeguard public order and national security, prevent crime, and protect the rights and freedoms of others.