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Hello and welcome to the Witness History Podcast from the BBC World Service with me

Mike Lanchin, first-hand stories from the people who were there. In 2004 campaigners in Turkey won a long battle to reform the

country's laws on crimes against women. The dramatic overhaul of Turkey's

decades-old penal code had been a key condition for talks

on future membership of the European Union.

I've been hearing from one of the women who was at the forefront of the campaign.

It's 2004 and crunch time for Turkey and its push for talks on joining the prestigious European club.

The European Union stepping up its pressure on Turkey telling the Turkish government

it has to pass a new penal code by October the 6th if it wants discussions on joining the EU to begin.

The government in Ankara has already told Brussels to stop interfering in its internal affairs.

For the past five years, Turkey has made many sweeping political and legal reforms

demanded by Brussels, but now Ankara seems to be stalling on adopting a new penal or criminal

code, much to the EU's frustration.

This new penal code is an important piece in a puzzle of Turkey's reforms efforts

because it was supposed to improve the basic freedoms, freedom of expression, freedom of the press,

women's right and ahead of our reports of 6 October we can only say that so far this piece is missing.

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