17/06/2025 | Writer: Kaos GL
Yeniden Refah Chairman Erbakan said that they support the anti-LGBTI+ law proposal presented by HÜDA PAR to the parliament.
Islamist HÜR Dava Party (HUDA-PAR) Chairman Zekeriya Yapıcıoğlu and his delegation visited Islamist Yeniden Refah Party Chairman Fatih Erbakan yesterday (June 16).
Erbakan made a statement after the closed meeting to the press. Erbakan said, "They informed us about a law proposal that they and we support and that we attach great importance to; a law proposal for the protection of the family, moral and spiritual development. In particular, they had prepared a bill to prevent LGBT propaganda and presented it in April. They also informed us about this. It was an extremely comprehensive and productive meeting."
HUDA-PAR submitted its anti-LGBTI+ law proposal to the Parliament in April
HUDA-PAR, a partner of the People's Alliance, submitted an anti-LGBTI+ law proposal to the Parliament in April. This proposal, which differs from the draft bill that KaosGL.org reached in February, which plans to make anti-LGBTI+ regulations in the Civil Code and the Penal Code, also aims to criminalize LGBTI+ identities and LGBTI+ self-expression.
The proposal increases the penalties for the offenses listed under the title “Indecent Acts,” such as “engaging in sexual intercourse in public” and “exhibitionism,” and defines the act as a more severe offense when “committed by individuals of the same sex,” doubling the penalty.
The bill submitted to Parliament includes the following statements:
“In addition, penalties are proposed for individuals who engage in, encourage, promote, disseminate in any way, or propagate sexual relations or behavior between individuals of the same biological sex. It is also proposed that the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) supervise and regulate such acts when committed via radio, television, or any communication media, including cinema, films, series, advertisements, and similar channels.”
The proposed article to be added to the Penal Code reads as follows:
“Anyone who encourages, promotes, disseminates in any way, or propagates sexual relations or sexual behavior between individuals of the same biological sex shall be sentenced to imprisonment from three to five years. If this offense is committed through any written, visual, audio, traditional, or digital means of communication and information, the penalty shall be increased by half.”
If the bill is passed, Article 8 of the Law on the Establishment and Broadcasting Services of Radio and Television would be amended as follows:
"Sexual relations or behavior between individuals of the same biological sex cannot be encouraged, promoted, propagated, or disseminated. Programs that promote oppression of women or exploit women cannot be included."
In addition, the bill explicitly targets LGBTI+ associations.
Referring to the statement, “Penalties are also foreseen for individuals who engage in, encourage, promote, disseminate in any way, or propagate sexual relations or sexual behavior between individuals of the same biological sex,” the proposal introduces specific security measures if such actions, defined as crimes, are carried out by legal entities.
The proposal adds a new paragraph to Article 230 under the section “Crimes Against the Family Order” in the Turkish Penal Code, introducing a new offense titled “carrying out a marriage by concealing one's biological sex.”
If the bill is passed, the following article is expected to be added to the Penal Code:
“A person who carries out a marriage by concealing their biological sex shall be sentenced to imprisonment from one to three years.”
The reasoning behind the bill claimed that the current “Indecent Acts” article in the Penal Code only criminalizes public sexual intercourse and exhibitionism, and argued that it has become insufficient and ineffective due to changing conditions, the increase and variety in similar types of crimes, and the allegedly corrupting and destructive effects of such acts.
In the proposal, HÜDA-PAR targeted LGBTI+ individuals with the following statements and defended what can be described as a hate law:
“Corruptive acts, attitudes, and behaviors that defend, promote, and propagate sexual relations between individuals of the same sex are destructive activities against human nature, offspring, the family, and ultimately the social structure and its values. Although these ideologies, which place genderlessness at the center under the guise of ‘gender choice and freedom,’ appear in marginal forms, the damage they cause is growing each day. These mindsets and movements, which dismiss and devalue family unity, marriage, and every kind of social, moral, and spiritual value, are aggressively trying to impose their deviant ideologies and lifestyles on society. Considering that those who adopt this mindset act in an organized and coordinated manner with the support and direction of global powers, it is clear that such ideologies and formations pose a serious threat to public order, social unity and integrity, and public morality.”
In the bill, HÜDA-PAR used expressions like “perverse mentality” and argued that the family institution and population policies were being damaged:
“Groups that defend the marriage or partnership of people of the same sex are exploiting concepts such as equality and women’s rights to spread their perverse ideologies and thoughts through powerful propaganda tools. These groups are expanding their influence day by day using television, radio, and other communication and information channels, including social media, press, cinema, TV series, films, and advertisements. What began as an individual perversion and indulgence of desire has, with the encouragement and direction of global powers, turned into an imposed lifestyle and an ideology aimed at collapsing the social structure. Therefore, combating this serious offense against public morality and the family structure has become an urgent necessity.”
In the justification of the bill, it was emphasized that gender should be recognized solely as female and male, and that a marital union can only be established between a man and a woman. LGBTI+ individuals were targeted with references to “degenderization”:
“Humans are created as female and male, and can only form a marital union with someone of the opposite sex. Thoughts and activities that advocate otherwise aim to distort and destroy human nature and existence, the family, and social order. Considering actions of degenderization or gender denial, it becomes necessary to define as crimes those acts that harm marriage and the institution of family.”
Tags: human rights, family
