373 people were detained during the İstanbul Pride Parade. Everyone has been released once their statements were taken and medical check-ups were completed. Lawyers say, “LGBTI+s were tortured and subjected to maltreatment during detention.”
All events within the scope of the 30th İstanbul LGBTI+ Pride Week have been banned by Beyoğlu, Kadıköy District Governorates, and the İstanbul Governorate.
Despite the enormous number of police and their effort to prevent people from gathering, LGBTI+s came together on Cihangir Pürtelaş Street and held the march.
LGBTI+s chanted “The world would shake if faggots were free if queers were free”, “Discrimination is a crime not rainbows”, and “We will not return. We will not return from this road,” “There is Kurdistan, there are queer people”, and “Trans murders are political”.
In various locations surrounding Taksim, groups were successfully able to read the press release: “We, who came together with the theme of resistance and rushed to the Gezi in 2013, call out resistance against heterosexism and violence, against the increasing homophobia, transphobia and biphobia, and all kinds of phobias, and male-dominated state policies!”
373 people were detained at İstanbul’s Pride Parade, 30 of them were under the age of 18 and among them were also journalists.
According to the statement made by lawyers on social media, detainees were tortured on buses and were denied food or water. Lawyers who waited at the Police Station were also battered by the police.
‘All must be released’
“All those detained solely for their participation in Pride must be released immediately and unconditionally,” Milena Buyum of Amnesty International said.
Diren, a 22-year-old university student, condemned the hate crimes targeting LGBTQ people.
“We are banned, prevented, discriminated, and even killed at every second of our lives. Today, it’s a very special day for us to defend our rights and to say that we do exist,” Diren told AFP.
“Police violence is aimed to stop us, but it is not possible. You will be unable to stop the queers.”
LGBTI+ activists who had been taken into custody were released in the morning (June 27) after their statements were taken at Vatan Security Directorate and medical check-ups were completed.
Turkey has ranked 48th out of 49 countries in the “Rainbow Index” of the European Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Intersex Association (ILGA).
Sources, Bianet English, AFP