‘No Need to Investigate’ Religious Affairs President’s Remarks, Says Prosecutor’s Office

Click to read the article in Turkish

The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has concluded that "there is no reason to investigate" the targeting remarks of President of Religious Affairs Ali Erbaş about LGBTI+s and those living with HIV.

In its "decision of non-investigation", the Prosecutor's Office has indicated that "President of Religious Affairs Erbaş, by the authority vested in him by laws, read out the Friday sermon referring to Islam's orders and prohibitions."

The Office has further stated that the sermon mentioned what was permissible and forbidden in Islam and made warnings within this context.

As reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA), in its decision of non-investigation, the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has referred to the Law no. 633 on the Establishment and Duties of the Presidency of Religious Affairs and other relevant legislation and concluded that Ali Erbaş fulfilled his duty as President of Religious Affairs as foreseen by the law.

Accordingly, the Office has said, "...President of Religious Affairs' mentioning of Islam's orders and prohibitions and his suggestions and teachings in that regard can in no way be considered crimes of 'hate and discrimination' or 'inciting the public to enmity and hatred and indignity'."

What happened?

In his Friday sermon (khutbah) on April 24, President of Religious Affairs Ali Erbaş targeted LGBTI+s and the ones living with HIV.

Erbaş briefly stated the following:

"People! Islam accepts adultery as one of the greatest harams. It curses the people of Lot, the homosexuality. What is the wisdom of this? The wisdom here is that it brings diseases and degenerates the generation. Hundreds of thousands of people a year are exposed to the HIV virus caused by this great haram, which passes as adultery in the Islamic Literature. Let's come and fight together to protect people from this kind of evil."

Several rights organizations, politicians and bar associations condemned these remarks. Both Ankara Bar Association and Human Rights Association (İHD) filed a criminal complaint against Erbaş.

Noting that Erbaş spread hate with his statements, Ankara Bar warned that "if Erbaş remained in office despite his remarks about LGBTI+s, women and children, no one should be surprised if, in his next speech, he called on people to light torches and burn women as witches at the squares."

The Bar also argued that with his statements, Ali Erbaş, "whose voice was coming from ages ago, incited the public to enmity and hatred by presiding over a state institution and building his discourse on values held sacred."

In response to this statement, the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation against Ankara Bar Association on April 27. The Presidency of Religious Affairs also filed a criminal complaint against its executives on the same day.

The Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office also launched an investigation against the executives of the Diyarbakır Bar due to their statement condemning the remarks of Ali Erbaş. The executives face the possible charge of "degrading religious values." (EKN/SD)