13/05/2024 | Writer: Kaos GL
The expert report was included in the file regarding the lawsuit brought against 42 people, who were detained under torture last year in July, during the 2nd Ankara Pride March.
According to the report by Hayri Demir from MLSA, the expert report unveiled instances of police aggression towards LGBTI+s.
The expert report highlighted instances of police officers physically assaulting LGBTI+ people, including kicking and slapping. The report also noted that residents in the neighborhood, and even the police chief, issued warnings regarding police violence:
“The investigation found that there were more civilian and official police officers present in the area compared to the protesters. During the intervention with the group and individual protesters, certain officers exhibited behaviors such as kicking, slapping (throwing), and deploying pepper spray at close range. Additionally, the police chief verbally cautioned the officers regarding the intensity of their intervention during the process of handcuffing the protesters and placing them into vehicles. Verbal warnings were also reported from members of the civilian population.”
The report noted the inability to ascertain whether the "disperse" announcement was made for the march, as the initial segments of the footage captured by the police officers were absent from the file.
The report highlighted an instance where a police officer was observed exhibiting violent behavior while the detainees were being escorted into a vehicle. Additionally, it noted that a higher-ranking police officer shouted “calm, calm” to intervene and address the perpetrators of violence.
In the expert report appended to the file between the hearings, police violence was described in the transcription of a video as follows: “At the same moments, the altercation between the male individual and the police officers persisted. It was noted that the police punched and kicked the person 3-4 times.”
What happened?
On July 5, 2022, during the 2nd Ankara Pride March, which persisted despite bans, Islamist groups endeavored to assault LGBTI+s partaking in the march. Consequently, the police detained 42 LGBTI+ activists.
The 42 people, charged with “violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations,” asserted that they were detained amidst police violence. In response, the lawyers contested the initial expert report presented during the trial, citing “lack of impartial examination,” and demanded a second expert report.
Tags: human rights
