Lawsuit Against 6 Participants of 2018 İstanbul LGBTI+ Pride Parade

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The investigation conducted by the İstanbul Public Prosecutor's Office against six people who were taken into custody during the 2018 İstanbul LGBTI+ Pride Parade has been completed.

CLICK - 26th Pride Week Ends with Statements for Press

As reported by Yıldız Tar from Ankara-based Kaos GL Association, in the indictment filed by the Prosecutor's Office, the participants of the parade have been charged with "opposition to the Law no. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations" as well as "resisting to prevent the fulfillment of duty" and "jeopardizing the traffic safety."

In reference to the detention of three people at İstiklal Avenue in İstanbul with police violence, the indictment has stated that they were "caught upon their disturbing and indecent behavior towards the law enforcement officers intervening with them and the citizens in their vicinity."

First hearing to be held in April

In the indictment, the Prosecutor's Office has also demanded that one person who sounded the horn of his/her vehicle during the police attack in Firuzağa be penalized on charges of "resisting to prevent the fulfillment of duty" and "jeopardizing the traffic safety."

The first hearing of the case will be held at the İstanbul 12th Penal Court of First Instance on April 18, 2019.

What happened?

In 2018, the Governorship of İstanbul announced that LGBTI+ Pride Parade "would not be allowed" for the fourth time.

In response to the announcement of the governorship, the Pride Week Committee released a statement and said, "İstanbul Governorship has proven that the reasons they show to ban the parade, not overlapping with Ramadan or being threatened, are just excuses and that kind of attitudes as the Governorship prohibition are just the signs of their hate directed towards us one more time.''

Before the 2018 LGBTI+ İstanbul Pride Parade, the police blocked all roads leading to the İstiklal Avenue. A statement for the press was read out in Mis Street as part of the parade.

* Photo: Hüseyin Aldemir

After the statement, police officers attacked hundreds of people who took part in the Pride Parade in the side streets of Beyoğlu with pepper gas and bludgeons.

(EMK/SD)