Legal pressure mounts on Turkish LGBTQ+ community as trial begins in Izmir.
IZMIR, TURKEY – Eleven board members of the Turkish LGBTQ+ rights organization Genç LGBTI+ (Young LGBTI+) appeared in court this week, facing serious charges that human rights advocates describe as politically motivated. The activists are being prosecuted for "obscenity" and "violating the protection of the family," with potential sentences of up to three years in prison and a suspension of their civil rights.
The case, being heard in the western city of Izmir, centers on the organization's activities and online presence. Prosecutors are citing images shared on social media, including pictures of same-sex couples kissing, as evidence of "obscene" publications. The charges also allege a breach of a Turkish constitutional article concerning the protection of family values, a clause increasingly used to target minority groups.
This trial is not an isolated event but reflects a broader, troubling trend in Turkey. While homosexuality is not criminalized by law, the government under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has intensified its hostile rhetoric and actions against the LGBTQ+ community. Officials have frequently blamed queer individuals for societal problems, including the country's declining birth rate. Since 2015, Pride marches in major cities like Istanbul and Ankara have been consistently banned, often being met with a heavy-handed police response.
Kerem Dikmen, the association's lawyer and himself a defendant as a member of the group's supervisory board, framed the trial as a direct assault on fundamental freedoms. "This trial arises from a policy of excluding LGBT+ people from the public sphere," he told AFP. "It is an attack on freedom of expression and freedom of association."
He argued that the case is not truly about obscenity. "Activities that are perfectly legitimate, legal and in line with the constitution are being criminalised. It is a form of dehumanisation," Dikmen added.
The legal battle for Genç LGBTI+ is being fought on multiple fronts. In December, a separate court ordered the complete dissolution of the association based on the same charges. That ruling is currently being appealed by the activists.
"We will not give up defending human rights," Dikmen stated. "But they are trying to send a message to society through us."
The trial is scheduled to resume on October 14. The outcome will be closely watched by international human rights organizations as a key indicator of the state of civil liberties and minority rights in Turkey.
