ANKARA, Sept 14 (AFP) - Waving banners and chanting slogans, about 400 demonstrators marched peacefully on the Turkish Parliament Tuesday to protest against proposed legislation to make adultery a criminal offense.
The demonstrators, mostly women, but also members of human and and gay rights groups, gathered on a warm, sunny day on a pedestrian street near the capital's ministries area before beginning their march on the nearby parliament, where deputies were to debate the bill from 3:00 p.m. (1200 GMT).
The rally called by several feminist NGOs advanced toward the sprawling complex unhindered by police, chanting, "Our bodies are ours, hands off!".
"Deputies, end violence (against women), forget about adultery," one banner read.
Several demonstrators carried photographs of women victims of "honor crimes" -- killed by their spouses or families to protect the family name.
Banners showed that the demonstrators had come from as far afield as Istanbul, in the northwest of the country, Adana in the south and Batman, in the southeast.
The penal code refom bill, which aims to dismantle the current, 78-year-old legislation modelled on that of fascist Italy, also aims to ease Turkey's entry into the European Union.
But that could backfire if Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) goes ahead with its plan to introduce a clause making adultery a jailable offense.
The AKP caucus was meeting in parliament today ahead of the full session and many AKP deputies, interviewed on the parliamentary television channel, noted that the clause had not been introduced yet. Many said they hoped it would not.
The plan has come under fire both nationally and internationally, with many European leaders warning that it could seriously damage Turkey's chances of obtaining a starting date for membership talks when the EU Council meets on December 17.