The 10th department of the state council on Tuesday rejected the request to annul the decision to pull out of the Istanbul Convention protecting women from violence.

In the justification of the decision of the chamber, which was made by the majority of three members against the opposition of two members, it was noted that, according to Article 104 of the Constitution, the authority to ratify international treaties was clearly vested in the president.

Turkey withdrew from the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention last year, prompting reactions from women’s rights groups and Western countries. The landmark convention was signed in Istanbul in 2011.

Opponents of the pact in Turkey say the convention undermines family unity, encourages divorce and that its references to equality were being used by the LGBT community to gain broader acceptance in society.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan underlined it wouldn't be a step backward for women and in March, Turkey’s Parliament ratified a bill aimed at combating violence against women that included introducing tougher sentences if the victim of a violent crime is a woman and making persistent stalking punishable with prison time.