18/03/2025 | Writer: Kaos GL
The lawsuit against the association, filed on the grounds of "illegality and immorality," has once again not reached a verdict. In a press statement before the hearing, Tarlabaşı Community Center stated “quoting Yıldız Tar’s message from Silivri, ‘The truth always wins.’"
photo by Evrim Kepenek from bianet
The tenth hearing of the dissolution case against the Tarlabaşı Community Center (TTM) was held yesterday at the 18th Civil Court of First Instance in Istanbul.
Lawyers representing the association attended the hearing, along with lawyers from the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Family and Social Services. Representatives from the Norwegian and Finnish embassies, as well as Hafıza Merkezi, also observed the proceedings.
Once again, no verdict was reached in the case, which was filed against the association on the grounds of "illegality and immorality."
According to a report by Evrim Kepenek from bianet, the lawyer representing the Ministry of Family stated that they objected to the expert report in the case and requested the appointment of a new expert report.
Additionally, the ministry submitted a petition against the request by TTM’s lawyers to take Article 89 of the Turkish Civil Code to the Constitutional Court.
The center’s lawyers argued that the article, which states that "if an association’s purpose becomes illegal or immoral, the court shall decide on its dissolution upon the request of the prosecutor or an interested party," should be reviewed by the Constitutional Court.
The court postponed the next hearing to September 29.
TTM made a press statement before the hearing
TTM also made a press statement before the hearing. In its statement, the center called for the release of KaosGL.org Editor-in-Chief Yıldız Tar, who is currently imprisoned:
“Exactly 1,362 days ago, on June 25, 2021, a smear campaign against TTM was launched by pro-government media, and the lawsuits fueled by this campaign continue. Today, as human rights defenders, we are here for the 10th hearing of the dissolution case filed against the association on the grounds of alleged illegality and immorality.
For 1,362 days, TTM has been fighting against online hate campaigns, two closure cases—one for nullification and one for dissolution—countless inspections, administrative fines, police harassment, investigations, and the sealing of its association center.
We know that the harassment directed at TTM through the cooperation of media, law enforcement, administration, and judiciary is not only a sign of the erosion of judicial independence in Turkey but also a manifestation of the government’s anti-gender policies.
The government and its allies are trying to intimidate civil society by sending the message that any work on gender equality with impoverished and marginalized women and children can be criminalized with fabricated and baseless accusations at any moment. While the Women's Rights Organization "We Will Stop Femicide Platform" had a dissolution case filed against it on similar ‘immorality’ grounds dismissed in 2023, it recorded 394 femicides and 258 suspicious female deaths in 2024. Meanwhile, reports of violence and abuse against children continue to flood the media. Instead of effectively addressing these issues, the government is localizing and legitimizing the global far-right’s anti-gender policies. While violence against women and children is shielded under the guise of the so-called 'Family Year,' one of the most persecuted and discriminated groups, LGBTI+ individuals, are openly threatened with the criminalization of their very existence.
Against this backdrop, the repression of human rights defenders fighting against femicides, child abuse, and hate crimes—as well as independent journalists exposing these injustices and opposition voices—continues. Most recently, on February 18, during an operation targeting the HDK (Peoples’ Democratic Congress), 52 people were detained, and 30, including our comrade Yıldız Tar, were arrested.
But as Yıldız said in her message from Silivri, ‘The truth always wins.’ We know the truth, and we continue our struggle with the strength and determination that comes from our righteousness. TTM’s legitimacy is built on 19 years of solidarity with the women and children of Tarlabaşı. Neither the government policies that condemn the neighborhood to poverty nor the highly-followed social media accounts of people who have never even set foot in Tarlabaşı can shake this legitimacy.
Those who sealed our association’s building could not wither the seedlings grown by the neighborhood’s women inside, nor erase the paintings made by its children. The truth will prevail, and we will return to our community.
We are deeply grateful to all our friends who have stood with us in this struggle for 1,362 days. Once again, long live TTM!”
Tags: human rights, media
