Amnesty Demands Turkey Drop Charges Against Pride March Participants

Activists Detained Amid Crackdown on LGBTI Expression

Amnesty International is urging Turkish authorities to release three activists detained for over a month and acquit 53 individuals facing prosecution following a banned Istanbul LGBTI Pride march.

Legal Action Against Demonstrators

The trial commenced Friday for the 53 defendants, including legal professionals, journalists, and activists. Two activists, **Hivda Selen** and **Sinem Çelebi**, have been held in pretrial detention since June 30. A third activist, **Doğan Nur**, who was initially jailed for a month, was released last week.

The charges stem from alleged violations of Turkey’s Law No. 2911, which governs public assemblies and is frequently criticized for its restrictive nature.

“Baseless” Charges Spark Outcry

“These prosecutions mark an alarming escalation in the criminalization of LGBTI expression and peaceful assembly in Turkey.”

—Dinushika Dissanayake, Amnesty’s Deputy Regional Director for Europe

Dinushika Dissanayake described the charges as “baseless,” emphasizing the need for the activists’ immediate release.

Longstanding Ban on Istanbul Pride

Istanbul’s Pride march, historically a significant event, has been prohibited by authorities since 2015. Officials cite public security and the need to protect “public morality” as justifications.

However, rights groups contend these reasons are pretexts to suppress freedoms of assembly and expression, part of a wider government campaign against LGBTI visibility.

In recent years, LGBTI rights in Turkey have faced increasing pressure, with authorities frequently blocking public events, disbanding organizations, and detaining participants. Amnesty International asserts that these actions are driven by an “increasingly anti-LGBTI agenda” rather than genuine security concerns.

This crackdown reflects a broader trend in Turkey, where civic freedoms are often curtailed. For instance, in 2023, a report by Freedom House found that Turkey’s score for freedom of expression had declined, with restrictions on media and public assembly cited as key issues (Freedom House 2023).