19/02/2025 | Writer: Kaos GL
During the protest against the detention of 52 people, including KaosGL.org Editor-in-Chief Yıldız Tar, yesterday morning, the police tried to prevent the rainbow-coloured umbrella from entering the area.
Photo: Photo: Dilara Açıkgöz / csgorselarsiv.org, from 8 March 2021
Many members of EMEP, SYKP and HDK were detained in house raids organised in Istanbul yesterday morning. Istanbul Public Prosecutor's Office announced that there is a detention warrant for 60 people.
Labour Peace and Democracy Forces held a demonstration in Kadıköy yesterday (18 February) to protest the detentions of artists, politicians, journalists and activists, including KaosGL.org Editor-in-Chief Yıldız Tar.
The police prevented a woman who wanted to enter the area with a rainbow-coloured umbrella for minutes, saying that it was ‘not appropriate’ for her to enter the area with the umbrella in question .
With the intervention of lawyers, the woman was able to enter the area.
What happened?
Many members of EMEP, SYKP and HDK were detained in house raids in Istanbul yesterday (18 February) morning. Istanbul Public Prosecutor's Office announced that there was a detention warrant for 60 people.
KaosGL.org Editor-in-Chief Yıldız Tar is among those detained. Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) announced that Tar, who was detained in Ankara, is expected to be taken to Istanbul. It is learnt that Tar is banned to see lawyer for 24 hours as part of the investigation.
MLSA Legal Unit objected to the confidentiality order, confiscation of digital materials and 24-hour ban on seeing a lawyer after the detention of journalists Yıldız Tar and Elif Akgül.
On 19 February, the ban on meeting with lawyers was lifted.
Among those detained are journalists Ercüment Akdeniz and Elif Akgül, artist Pınar Aydınlar, EMEP Istanbul Provincial Chair Sema Barbaros, Green Left Party MYK member Naci Sönmez, DEM Party MYK member Mehmet Saltoğlu Semiha Şahin, SYKP PM members Halit Elçi and Ahmet Saymadi, and ecology rights activist Ümit Şahin.
Kaos GL Association made the following statement:
"As Kaos GL Association, we demand the immediate release of Yıldız Tar.
We emphasise once again that we will resolutely continue our struggle to ensure the safety of journalists and human rights defenders, to prevent attacks from going unpunished and to protect freedom of expression.
It should not be forgotten that the active presence of a free press and civil society guarantees not only the LGBTI+ community but also everyone's access to human rights and the social awareness required for the establishment of justice. A Turkey where the public's right to information is respected and different voices can find equal expression is the common aspiration of all of us."
Click-Statement from Kaos GL Association: ‘We demand the immediate release of Yıldız Tar’
Tags: human rights
1720430400.jpg)