Tag: turkey gay rights
Turkey Introduces ‘Family’ Course in Schools to ‘Fight’ Homosexuality
Turkey’s education minister announced that an optional course called ‘The Family in Turkish Society’ has been introduced to the school curriculum in order to help combat “LGBT values”. Turkey’s National Education Minister Yusuf Tekin said in a TV interview on Monday that the authorities have a responsibility to “fight” homosexuality and that a new optional… Read more »
Hundreds detained at banned Pride marches in Turkey: ‘They are aware of our strength’
More than 100 people were detained by police at banned Pride marches in Turkey at the weekend. On Sunday (25 June), members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies sought to hold a march in the western coastal city of Izmir, as well as stage the Istanbul Pride March in the country’s capital – which has… Read more »
Istanbul gay pride activists rally despite ban
Istanbul (AFP) – Turkish activists on Sunday defied a ban to stage an annual gay pride march in Istanbul one month after Turkey’s election followed a homophobic hate-filled campaign. A few hundred demonstrators waving rainbow flags held rallies including in Istanbul’s upscale Nisantasi neighborhood after being banned from the iconic Taksim square — the venue… Read more »
After Erdogan’s Attacks, Fear Spreads Among L.G.B.T.Q. People in Turkey
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vilified gay people during his re-election campaign, calling them a threat to society and rallying conservatives against them. It has left people feeling threatened, and alone. When Yasemin Oz, a lesbian lawyer in Istanbul, heard President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claiming victory after a runoff election on Sunday, she said she feared… Read more »
Police ‘brutally attack’ Istanbul Pride march with tear gas, rubber bullets
Turkish police “brutally attacked” a banned Istanbul Pride parade with tear gas and rubber bullets, arresting at least 20 people. Istanbul Pride has been banned by authorities for seven consecutive years. Each year, apart from in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, protesters have gathered in solidarity anyway, despite the ever-present threat of police violence.… Read more »
Turkish president Erdoğan unleashes vile stream of homophobia, calling queer people ‘perverts’ who ‘poison young people’
Turkey’s president Recep Erdoğan offered a thinly-veiled defence of a homophobic tweet from the head of the country’s largest humanitarian agency. Erdoğan, the ruling Justice and Development Party founder, accused LGBT+ people of “sneaking up on our national and spiritual values again” and claimed queer folks “throughout human history” have been “trying to poison young… Read more »
Turkey orders schools to stop letting kids draw rainbows because it’s a “plot to turn children gay”
Children worldwide have been drawing rainbows and hanging them in windows to comfort others during the coronavirus pandemic. While governments around the world focus on finding a cure and preventing the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, Turkey’s government is warning about a different ridiculous danger. Children worldwide have been drawing rainbows and hanging them in… Read more »
Turkish president Erdoğan backs Muslim cleric who claims ‘evil’ homosexuals spread disease: ‘He’s absolutely right’
Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has waded into a row to back a senior cleric who called for Muslims to oppose the ‘evil’ of homosexuality. Ali Erbaş, who is the head of Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet), used a sermon at the start of Ramadan on Friday to call on people to “work together”… Read more »
Netflix slammed as ‘Islam’s enemy’ by bigots over rumours of gay character in Turkish teen drama
Rumours of a gay character on a Turkish Netflix series have fuelled anti-LGBT bigotry in the country. New Turkish coming-of-age drama Love 101, which is set to begin on April 24, unleashed a torrent of fury over unconfirmed rumours that it will feature a gay character. It’s technically legal to be gay in Turkey, but… Read more »
Turkey puts lecturer, students on trial for taking part in LGBT pride march
Parade has been held annually since 2011, but university banned it this year; police used pepper spray, plastic bullets and tear gas to disperse it Ankara, Turkey — Eighteen Turkish students and a lecturer went on trial on Tuesday for taking part in a banned LGBTI Pride event at an Ankara university. The defendants face… Read more »
Turkish court lifts ban on Pride events in Ankara
The ban which had been in effect since November 2017 A court has lifted a ban on LGBTI Pride events being held in Turkey’s capital city, Ankara. Kaos GL, a Turkish LGBTI rights group, successfully appealed the ban at the 12th administrative court on Friday (20 April). LGBTI rights supporters had attempted to appeal the… Read more »
Turkey: Being gay could cost you your job
A Turkish police officer who identifies as homosexual has been suspended from duty in the city of Van. He was in the force for over 10 years. DW details his ordeal. Metin*, a 34-year-old Turkish police officer in eastern Anatolia, has been suspended from duty because he is gay. He can’t believe what’s happened. “When… Read more »
Turkey: End Ankara Ban on LGBTI Events
Governor Extends Restrictions Beyond State of Emergency (Berlin) – The ban in Turkey’s capital Ankara on public events focused on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) issues discriminates against LGBTI people and violates their fundamental rights, and should therefore be immediately lifted, Human Rights Watch said today. The ban was originally imposed in November… Read more »
Vigil held for trans woman killed outside her front door in Istanbul
Vigil held for trans woman killed outside her front door in Istanbul Dozens of trans activists and supporters protested the alleged murder of a trans woman in Istanbul, Turkey. Esra Ates, a sex worker, was attacked on Saturday morning outside the apartment where she lived in the central neighbourhood of Beyoglu following an argument with… Read more »
Istanbul police disperse gay pride march
Riot police have used tear gas to disperse hundreds of people at a gay pride march in Istanbul. The city’s LGBTI community and their friends had said they were determined to march. Police used tear gas, dogs and batons to push back crowds celebrating Istanbul’s 16th gay pride march on Sunday. People carrying rainbow flags… Read more »
Istanbul Pride goes ahead despite ban, police violence
Despite being banned by the authorities and threats to arrest anyone “looking gay,” Istanbul Pride went ahead with a party of love and celebration before being broken up by police. “We are here this year, as we are every year.” Istanbul’s Pride parade has been banned four four consecutive years, despite homosexuality not being illegal… Read more »
Turkish capital Ankara bans all gay rights functions
The Turkish capital Ankara has banned all gay festivals, screenings, forums and exhibitions on security grounds. The governor’s office said on Sunday that it also wanted to protect public order and sensitivities. The announcement follows a move last week to ban a festival of German-language gay films also due to have been held in the… Read more »
Turkey: German gay film festival banned in Ankara
Turkish officials have banned a festival of German-language gay films due to be held in the capital Ankara, saying it could incite hatred or be targeted by terror attacks. The organisers Pink Life QueerFest Four had planned to screen four films at cinemas on 16 and 17 November. They said the decision “deprives us of… Read more »
‘Mr Gay Syria’: film documents lives of LGBTI Syrian refugees
When “Mr Gay Syria” premiered at the Sheffield Film Festival in England this June, it took viewers by surprise. For starters, the documentary revolves around a little-spoken of community: gay Syrian refugees. Turkish director and journalist Ayse Toprak chronicles the lives of Hussein Sabat and Mahmoud Hassino, as an usual quest brings them together. Married… Read more »
Turkish police arrest dozens at Istanbul’s banned LGBT pride event
Istanbul — At least 44 people were detained during a march for LGBT rights that the governor of Istanbul had banned, Turkey’s state-run news agency reported Monday, while Europe’s top human rights organization criticized the country for barring the event for a third year running. Anadolu Agency said 20 people who “reacted against” the march… Read more »
Turkey LGBT: Police stifle Istanbul Gay Pride rally
Police in the Turkish city of Istanbul have thwarted attempts by organisers to hold a banned Gay Pride march. The organisers of the annual event had vowed to press ahead despite the ban by the authorities, who had cited threats from far-right groups. But police briefly fired rubber bullets to disperse the marchers and detained… Read more »
Turkey bans Istanbul Pride, organizers vow to march anyway
Istanbul – Turkish authorities announced Saturday they will not allow the Istanbul Pride march to take place on Sunday — the third year in a row the celebration has been banned. The move prompted criticism from rights groups and fears of possible violence, as Pride organizers said they would defy the ban. For more than… Read more »
Gay Syrian man kidnapped, raped and decapitated in Istanbul, local media reports
A gay Syrian man has been found decapitated after being kidnapped and raped in Istanbul, local media has reported. The victim, Wisam Sankari, a Syrian refugee in Istanbul, was so badly mutilated that his friends had to identify him by the trousers he was wearing. According to various local news sources , Sankari left his… Read more »
Turkey LGBT: Scuffles at banned Istanbul transgender event
Turkish riot police have fired tear gas and plastic bullets after transgender rights activists gathered in Istanbul in defiance of a ban on marching. Several dozen activists turned up and were surrounded by police, after which scuffles began, with one man reportedly tearing up a gay rights banner. The march was banned in order to… Read more »
Istanbul Pride banned due to ‘security concerns’, a year after police fired tear gas at marchers
Officials in Turkey have ordered that the capital’s Pride parade be cancelled – purportedly because of ‘security’ concerns following Orlando. Turkey is still extremely conservative when it comes to LGBT issues, and though homosexuality is legal there, gay people are given no legal recognition – and still face regular persecution. Last year’s Istabnbul Pride was… Read more »
Greece to send gay Syrian asylum seeker back to Turkey under controversial migrant deal
A gay Syrian migrant whose asylum claim was rejected by Greece will be sent back to Turkey, sources told AFP on Thursday, the first rejected applicant known to be returned under a controversial migrant deal. The 46-year-old man arrived on the Greek island of Lesbos after the EU struck a deal to send some failed… Read more »
What Does Islam Say About Being Gay?
Istanbul — On June 29, Turkey’s 12th Gay Pride Parade was held on Istanbul’s crowded Istiklal Avenue. Thousands marched joyfully carrying rainbow flags until the police began dispersing them with water cannons. The authorities, as has become their custom since the Gezi Park protests of June 2013, once again decided not to allow a demonstration… Read more »
What Does Islam Say About Being Gay?
Istanbul — On June 29, Turkey’s 12th Gay Pride Parade was held on Istanbul’s crowded Istiklal Avenue. Thousands marched joyfully carrying rainbow flags until the police began dispersing them with water cannons. The authorities, as has become their custom since the Gezi Park protests of June 2013, once again decided not to allow a demonstration… Read more »
Is Turkey ready to elect its first openly gay lawmaker?
Baris Sulu hopes to become the voice of the country’s burgeoning LGBT-rights movement by winning a seat in parliament. Turkey goes to the polls on June 7. Istanbul — Baris Sulu has made history twice. Four years ago, he and his partner became the first gay couple to apply for a marriage license in Turkey;… Read more »
Seeking home: The lives of gay and transgender asylum seekers of the Middle East
Beginning in Damascus, Syria, in 2010, photojournalist Bradley Secker began to document the lives of gay Iraqi refugees that had fled Iraq to escape homophobic violence. Shortly after chronicling their stories, Secker crossed borders and traveled to Turkey, following Iranians, Turkish Kurds, Syrians and more Iraqis who were claiming asylum abroad or fighting for their… Read more »
Istanbul court fines bathhouse for rejecting trans woman
In what local activists describe as a small but significant victory for the LGBT community in Turkey, a Turkish court has fined a bathhouse owner for discriminating against a trans woman. The verdict is seen as a step towards greater political and social support for LGBT individuals in this secularly ruled, traditionally Muslim country. Lawyer… Read more »
Turkey breaks company with EU in gay vote
Ankara – In an atmosphere where Turkey is being criticized for the slow pace of its EU reforms, the country refuses to sign a declaration calling all states to take steps to stop the criminalization of homosexuality, contradicting its commitments to the EU in promoting human rights Turkey breaks company with EU in gay vote… Read more »
Turkey: Gay couple face death threats after staging ‘symbolic’ wedding
A gay couple in Istanbul have lost their jobs, been evicted from their home, and are facing death threats from family members after holding a ‘symbolic’ open wedding last month. According to Hurriyet Daily News, Ekin Keser, who is of Arab origin, and Emrullah Tüzün, who is of Kurdish origin, said they were facing severe… Read more »
Turkey gets its first umbrella LGBTI organization to fight homophobia
Turkey: A new organization, the first in Turkey to ensure LGBTI websites, groups and organizations has been established to fight homophobia and transphobia in the Islamic country that straddles Europe and Asia. In existence since less than two months, the organization was created in order to ensure unity and solidarity among LGBTI groups, LGBTIwebsites and… Read more »
Turkey: Thousands march in Istanbul Pride despite religious objections
Tens of thousands of people turned out on Sunday to celebrate LGBT Pride in Istanbul, slated as the largest gay pride celebration in any majority Muslim country. 100,000 or more participants marched peacefully under the watchful eye of the Turkish police, waving celebratory rainbow flags and signs to celebrate LGBT pride. The celebrations were heavily… Read more »
Aiding Turkey’s Gay Inmates
Last month, the Turkish justice minister, Bekir Bozdag, announced a government project to establish separate prisons for the country’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender inmates. According to Mr. Bozdag’s written statement, the goal is to protect these inmates from abuse. This was not the first time Ankara has floated the idea: The Justice Ministry proposed… Read more »
Fighting Against Discrimination in Mersin
The Platform for Fighting Against Discrimination was established in Mersin with the support of 19 organizations. Hüseyin Aslan, a member of the board of directors for Akdeniz Göç-Der (Mediterranean Association for Migration) held a press conference at the Mersin Journalists Association and explained that the Platform for Fighting Against Discrimination will be the voice of… Read more »
Turkey’s Separate Gay Prisons Plan Angers Local LGBT Groups
Gay rights groups in Turkey expressed alarm Tuesday at a government-led project to build prisons only for criminals who declare themselves gay, saying it would lead to more discrimination in a largely homophobic country. Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag announced at the weekend that plans were underway to construct separate prisons for openly gay inmates in… Read more »
Homosexual prisoners in Turkey segregated for ‘protection’: minister
Turkish rights activists reacted angrily to a government measure that has led to the segregation of lesbian, gay and transsexual prisoners to protect them from harassment and attacks while in jail. Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag announced the “protecting convicts” measure for openly homosexual prisoners in a written response to a parliamentary question from an opposition… Read more »
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