04/02/2025 | Writer: Oğulcan Özgenç

One of the 11 LGBTI+ activists acquitted in the February 6 earthquake commemoration case is on trial for ‘making illegal organisation propaganda’.

LGBTI+ activist who chanted ‘Don't Forget 6 February, Don't Make Us Forget’ is on trial Kaos GL - News Portal for LGBTI+

On 10 February 2024, Istanbul Trans Pride Week held a press statement in front of Kadıköy Süreyya Opera with the title ‘For those we lost in the earthquake’. Lawyers and press labourers were left outside the circle formed by the police and 11 people were detained.

One of the detained 11 LGBTI+ activists was held in a detention room for a night on the allegation of ‘making propaganda for a terrorist organisation’ for chanting the slogan ‘Don't Forget February 6, Don't Make Us Forget’ and was released by the court on judicial control conditions with a ban on leaving the country.

Following the police attack on the commemoration, the Trans Pride Week Committee announced that 11 LGBTI+ activists were charged with violating Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations. The first hearing of the case was held on 13 November at Istanbul Anatolian Courthouse 54th Criminal Court of First Instance and 11 activists were acquitted of ‘opposition to Law No. 2911’.

The LGBTI+ activist, who was held in detention on charges of ‘making propaganda for a terrorist organisation’ for chanting the slogan ‘Don't Forget February 6, Don't Make Us Forget’ at the commemoration and released by the court, was charged with ‘making propaganda for a terrorist organisation’ this time. In the lawsuit, the indictment consists only of police statements.

The case will be held on Thursday, 13 February at 10:00 at the 26th High Criminal Court of Çağlayan Courthouse.

‘There is an attempt to invent an crime’

Speaking to KaosGL.org, the lawyer of the case said, ‘There is an effort to fabricate a crime as if this slogan is not a slogan against the earthquake.’

‘In this case, we see the continuation of the effort to associate LGBTI+’s who engage in peaceful protests with an organisation in order to criminalise them. The state is aware that this slogan is about earthquakes, but it wants to scare, intimidate and immobilise activists with the threat of judicial action. There is no evidence in the file, only the statements of the police officers. This situation is very common in cases where activists are on trial. Police summaries are used as evidence. As it will be remembered, one of the two friends who were similarly detained during the Trans Pride Week was detained while walking on the street and the other while drinking coffee in a café."

‘We call on all human rights defenders to embrace this case’

Trans Pride Week Committee called for solidarity for the case in a social media post. The committee said:

"Yes! Every day that goes by, the state and its judicial bodies try to judge us, we do not encounter a new absurdity. Because; They are trying to create a crime against our friend with the allegation that he ‘propagandised’ an organisation that spews LGBTI+phobia in every magazine and says that we are a game of America. But don't worry, these judgement games of yours will not work!

On the second year of the 6 February earthquake massacre, while the real criminals are not tried, while people and animals are slaughtered in plain sight, while the murderous contractors are released one by one, while sex workers working in the earthquake zone cannot access trans women, while there are lubunyas who are exposed to LGBTI + phobia even in such a disaster, of course we will not make them forget 6 February.

On Thursday, 13 February 2025 at 10.00 am, the first hearing will be held at the 26th Assize Court in Çağlayan. We call on all human rights defenders to embrace this case. We will not be silent, we will not let 6 February be forgotten."


Tags: human rights
2024