İzmir LGBTI+ Pride Week and Antalya Pride Week Banned

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The 7th İzmir LGBTI+ Pride Week events, which were planned to be held from June 17 to 23 in Turkey's Aegean province of İzmir, were banned by the Governorship of İzmir on June 14, 2019.

The detailed program of the 7th İzmir LGBTI+ Pride Week was shared with the public on June 11 and this year's slogan was announced as "Parading is not enough, we want the whole city."

CLICK - 'Parading is not Enough, We Want the Whole City!'

Pride week banned 'to ensure public safety'

Publishing a statement on its official website, the Governorship of İzmir declared that it banned the events in question "with the aim of ensuring the peace and safety, civil liberty, security, public safety and welfare of the people, maintaining national security and public order, preventing crimes, protecting general health and morals or rights and freedoms of others and preventing any possible incidents of violence and terrorism."

15-day ban on all LGBTI+ events in Antalya

The Governorship of Antalya also imposed a similar ban on the 3rd Antalya Pride Week in a statement released on June 15.

In its statement, the Governorship of Antalya also referred to the protection of "peace environment, national security, public health and morals" and "prevention of any possible incidents of violence and terror."

Speaking to the Ankara-based Kaos GL LGBTI+ Association regarding the ban of Antalya Governorship, lawyer Ahmet Çevik stated that the ban in question does not only apply to the Pride Week, which would be held between June 14 to 16, but to all LGBTI+ events that would be organized for 15 days in Turkey's Mediterranean city of Antalya. (EMK/AÖ/SD)