12/11/2024 | Writer: Defne Güzel
Tarlabaşı Community Center was sealed. Syrian trans women were subjected to a lynching attempt in Izmir. TİHEK did not investigate sexual abuse effectively.
Violations
The censorship of kaosgl.org news website was documented in October. Police intervened in a private party in an LGBTI+ bar with many detentions. Tarlabaşı Community Center, which defends LGBTI+ rights, was unlawfully sealed.
- Tarlabaşı Community Center was sealed: Tarlabaşı Community Center was sealed after the “determination of non-existence” lawsuit against it was dropped and the closure lawsuit has not yet been finalized. In a statement, Tarlabaşı Community Center said, “TTM was not closed down, it was sealed without legal grounds.”
- Hate crime in Düzce: The testimony of the murderer Mehmet Ali Türken in the murder of Emre Başoğlu, whose burnt body was found in a mountain house in Düzce, revealed that the murder may have been a homophobic hate crime. Türken confessed that he burned the house after the murder. Türken was arrested by the court at the courthouse where he was taken to.
- Censorship of kaosgl.org news website: The online newspaper kaosgl.org learned that the website was blocked in the “family and children” profiles after recent complaints from readers that they could not access the website.
- Forced resignation in Beyoğlu Municipality: A person who worked in Beyoğlu Municipality and was also responsible as the head of the Gender Equality Commission in CHP Istanbul Youth Branches resigned after being targeted by pro-AKP newspapers.
- Arrest and police ban on party at LGBTI+ bar: The police prevented a party to be organized in an LGBTI+ bar in Istanbul. 30 people were detained. 8 of the detainees were arrested on charges of “lewd behavior” and “obscenity”. On the other hand, 2 migrants among those released were sent to Arnavutköy Migration Administration.
- Lynch attempt against Syrian trans women in Izmir: A crowded group attacked Syrian trans women with stones in Izmir. The injured women filed a criminal complaint to the prosecutor's office.
- Kahramanmaras Diyanet-Sen prevented concert: Before the concert featuring singer Ayta Sözeri, Diyanet-Sen Branch President Abdülaziz Yenice made an LGBTI+ phobic statement calling LGBTI+ hatred as an act of fıtrat and called for the cancellation of the concert.
- A budget for the “protection of the family” is being planned at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey: According to the proposal submitted to the Presidency of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM), 16 billion, 19 billion and 21 billion liras will be allocated for the “protection and strengthening of the family” in 2026, 2026 and 2027, respectively.
- TİHEK claimed that the sexual abuse was untrue: LGBTI+ prisoner applied to TİHEK stating that he was subjected to sexual abuse in İskenderun T Type Prison. TİHEK described the allegation as unreal.
- Golden Orange did not include LGBTI+ themed films: Pre-jury member Tunca Arslan's statement that “there are no LGBT-themed films” signaled that Golden Orange had started the process of state-sponsored films.
Targeting
Turkey's delegation spread hatred at the UN session on civil and political rights. The President thanked Italy's far-right anti-LGBTI+ Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni for her “approach to the concept of family”. Anti-LGBTI+ sentiment was also on the agenda of the Minister of National Education and the Minister of Interior.
- Minister of National Education spoke at Atatürk University Academic Year Opening Ceremony: Minister Yusuf Tekin targeted Beyoğlu Municipality for “employing LGBTI+ people” in his speech at the opening ceremony.
- Minister of Interior spoke at the 109th Term District Governorship Course Drawing Ceremony: Minister Ali Yerlikaya, in his speech at the ceremony, said, “We have never allowed any deviant stream of thought to disturb the peace of our country, and we will not allow it.”
- The President's agenda: In his speech at the 2024-2025 Academic Year Opening Ceremony, the President used the phrase “deviant movements” and linked LGBTI+'s to the increasing incidents of violence. President Erdoğan also had a phone call with Italy's far-right anti-LGBTI+ Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and thanked Meloni for her “approach to the concept of family”. At the AK Party Group Meeting, he declared, “Those who defend LGBT perversion are the eternal and eternal enemies of my Muslim Kurdish brother.”
- The Turkish delegation spread hatred at the UN: “Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people are seen as a threat to the Turkish family structure,” the Turkish delegation responded to a question about the situation of LGBTI+ persons at the UN session on the implementation of the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
- Phobia in the Sub-Commission on Children's Rights: Commission chair AKP MP Radiye Sezer Katırcıoğlu claimed that “LGBTI+ persons pose a threat” during the commission meeting.
- MHP Deputy Chairman made a statement: MHP Deputy Chairman Ahmet Selim Yurdakul, who previously announced the report of the anti-LGBTI+ “Family Institution Workshop” organized by MHP, this time described LGBTI+ people as a threat in an interview with Türkgün newspaper.
- “Nesil Meselesi” conference was organized in Adana: At a conference organized by the Adana Big Family Platform, LGBTI+ people were portrayed as a threat.
- The pro-government media targeted Bursa Metropolitan Municipality: The movie Uçsuz Bucaksız (Endless Bucaksız), which was screened at the Cinema Days event organized by the municipality, and the discussion held after the movie were turned into a tool of black propaganda by the pro-AKP media.
- AK Party Elazığ MP threatened TikTok: AK Party Elazığ MP and member of the TBMM Plan and Budget Commission Ejder Açıkkapı stated that the access ban on Roblox was due to “LGBTI+ propaganda” and threatened the TikTok application about its content.
- Homophobia in IBB Assembly: The 3rd session of the IBB Assembly in October was held at the municipality building in Saraçhane. IBB Assembly Member from AKP, who took the floor out of the agenda, spread homophobia. After CHP members objected, scuffles broke out and the meeting was adjourned.
Course of cases
While the trial of Tarlabaşı Community Center was postponed until 2025, another postponement was made in the case filed against LGBTI+ activist Iris Mozalar for defending refugee rights. In the Boğaziçi Pride March case, the court acquitted those who participated in the pride march and were detained and tried for this.
- Tarlabaşı Community Center (TTM) case: After being targeted for defending LGBTI+ rights, the final hearing of the termination lawsuit filed against TTM was held in October. The case was adjourned until March 17, 2025 to complete the missing documents.
- LGBTI+ activist Iris Mozalar's trial postponed: The trial of LGBTI+ activist Iris Mozalar, who was charged with “inciting the public to hatred and hostility” due to her social media post defending refugee rights, was scheduled to be held on October 2, but the case was postponed to a later date due to the judge's report.
- Acquittal in Boğaziçi Pride March case: On October 25, the final hearing of the Boğaziçi Pride March trial, in which 70 people were detained under torture for participating in the Pride March on campus on May 20, 2022, was held. The court acquitted all defendants.
Tags: human rights, women, media, arts and culture
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