A prominent LGBTQ+ rights organization in Turkey, the Social Policy, Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Studies Association (SPoD), is facing a legal battle for its existence. The İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has filed an indictment seeking to dissolve the group, a move that signals a further escalation in the country's crackdown on queer civil society.
The first hearing in the case is scheduled for November 18 at the İstanbul Courthouse. Four members of the association are also facing potential prison sentences of one to three years. Two of the defendants have already been held in pretrial detention since mid-September.
Accusations Target Core Advocacy Work
The prosecutor's office alleges that SPoD's activities are “contrary to law and morality” and that the group has operated outside the objectives stated in its official bylaws. According to SPoD, the indictment uses 15 years of their advocacy work as evidence against them.
This includes their efforts to promote equal employment opportunities for LGBTQ+ people, which the state has framed as an attempt to create “division within the state.” The association's work in building solidarity networks and publicizing them on social media was also cited by prosecutors as grounds for dissolution.
In a defiant response to the charges, SPoD stated, “Yes, we did all of these things. And we would do them all again!” The group emphasized that their work is a fundamental right, not a crime. “Organizing is not a crime; it is a right. Defending LGBTI+ rights, showing solidarity and coming together are not crimes,” the organization declared, warning that the case threatens the freedom of association for all civil society groups in Turkey.
Part of a Wider Crackdown
This legal action is not an isolated incident. It is the latest in a series of moves by Turkish authorities against the LGBTQ+ community. In September, similar dissolution proceedings were initiated against two other groups, Muamma LGBTİ+ and Mersin 7 Renk LGBTİ+, as part of a state operation ominously titled “My Family Is Safe.”
Established in 2011, SPoD has been a vital resource for the queer community in İstanbul and beyond. The organization provides essential legal and psychosocial support and runs public campaigns against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Its potential closure would represent a significant loss for LGBTQ+ people in Turkey, who face an increasingly hostile political and social environment.
SPoD has issued a call for solidarity, inviting rights organizations, unions, professional associations, and journalists to attend the hearing on November 18 to bear witness to the proceedings.
