08/07/2021 | Writer: Yiğit E Korkmaz
Boğaziçi rainbow trials postponed to October 13th, travel ban against 12 students has been lifted.
The second hearing of 12 people detained in front of the Boğaziçi University North Campus on the grounds of “violating the law on meetings and demonstrations” has been held on June 26th.
The trials are postponed to October 13th, travel ban against 12 students has been lifted.
“The trials are not lawful because a flag that is not specified as criminal is the subject of the trials”
Levent Pişkin, one of the attorneys of the students, said “We explained LGBTI+ rights, history and how the rainbow flag is not a criminal element. We requested immediate acquittal, saying the trials themselves are against the law. The judge listened, took notes but refused our request for immediate acquittal. But the trials are not lawful because a flag that is not specified as criminal is the subject of the trials. Even though a trial that was supposed to end with acquittal has been postponed, we expect acquittal in the incoming trial”.
What happened?
Four students were detained in the Hisarüstüstu Neighborhood of İstanbul, where campuses of Boğaziçi University are located, on the grounds that they were "carrying an LGBTI+ flag".
There was an ongoing disciplinary investigation against a student who carried an LGBTI+ flag during the protests against the appointment of a rector to the Boğaziçi University, and other students wanted to support the student under investigation.
N.D., who raised a rainbow flag during protests attacked by police on February 1, was targeted by a disciplinary investigation that says "you went upstairs and waved the LGBTI+ flag". N.D. was to give their statement in the scope of the investigation on March 25.
The attacks of the police continued in the North Campus, Bebek gate of the university and at the Çağlayan Courthouse on March 26th.
What's in the indictment?
The Public Prosecutor's indictment against the students says disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against N.D., who raised a rainbow flag during protests of February 1st, which the police attacked. While the indictment does not include police violence, it criminalizes the rainbow flags in the hands of the students on March 25:
"After they reached the outside sidewalk of the North Campus they opened the LGBTI banners and started to march together, the law enforcement forces stopped them there, the chief law enforcement officers negotiated with them to close down the LGBTI banners..."
Tags: human rights, education
