10/07/2024 | Writer: Defne Güzel
The Pride Month was celebrated with various events and marches in İstanbul, Ankara, Eskişehir ve Antalya. LGBTI+s exercising their fundamental rights were again pursued by the governorship, police, detentions and bans. Despite all obstacles, LGBTI+s celebrated Pride Month with slogans of freedom and equality.
Photograph: Tuğçe Yılmaz/Bianet
İstanbul LGBTI+ Pride Week
· Istanbul Governorship issued a ban on Taksim and Istiklal Street in the early hours of the day of the march and described the Istanbul LGBTI+ Pride Week Committee as “various illegal groups”. The governorship violated the freedom of travel by closing the streets to traffic.
· However 22nd İstanbul Pride March took place despite all bans and restrictions, on June 30th. After the march following the press statement, LGBTI+s dispersed for security reasons. 11 people, including those under the age of 18, were detained.
· Two of the events organized by the committee during the week were banned by Kadıköy and Şişli District Governorships.
İstanbul Trans Pride Week
· On June 23, the 10th Trans Pride March took place in different districts and neighborhoods of Istanbul. The Governorship violated the freedom of travel by closing Taksim and Şişhane metro stations to traffic before the Trans Pride March.
· The committee announced in a statement that 2 people were detained.
Eskişehir LGBTI+ Pride Week
· On June 9th, police attacked the press statement and Pride March planned to take place in front of the Ulus Monument in Eskişehir. Ten LGBTI+ activists were detained and subjected to torture. The police did not show the ban order and detained the activists who demanded it.
Ankara LGBTI+ Pride Week
· The 3rd Ankara Pride March took place on June 12th. The police blockaded LGBTI+s and searched the bags of those blockaded.
Antalya LGBTI+ Pride Week
· Antalya Governorship banned all protests and events across the province between July 1-15, for 15 days. The Governorship targeted the Pride Month events within the scope of the ban order. However they removed the ban order from their website after a while.
Summary
· A total of 23 people were detained during the marches held.
· The İstanbul Governorship violated the freedom of travel two times by closing the streets to traffic and described LGBTI+s as “various illegal groups.”
· Antalya Governorship removed the ban order from their website after a while. Thus, 2 governorships attempted to prevent the march.
· Şişli District Governorship and Kadıköy District Governorship banned 2 events, 1 and 1 respectively.
· In Ankara, the police blockaded LGBTI+s and searched their bags.
Tags: human rights
