Summary of 2021 for LGBTI+s in Turkey: At least eight hate murders

Photo: Ateş Alpar

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The Kaos Gay and Lesbian Cultural Research and Solidarity Association (Kaos GL) has released its Human Rights 2021 report based on rights violations reported in the news and applications to NGOs.

While the association was able to confirm eight hate murders, it thinks that the real number is much higher than that.

About 30 percent of all violations against LGBTI+s were about freedom of expression, Kaos GL noted.

Also, police violated the prohibition of torture and maltreatment during many demonstrations last year, according to the report. Twelve people in seven cases were subjected to this violation. The authorities did not give information about whether the personnel who violated the prohibition of torture were investigated.

LGBTI+s were violently detained during several events, including the Boğaziçi University protests, Women's Day demonstrations, İstanbul Convention protests, and Pride Marches. Hundreds of LGBTI+s were deprived of their rights to freedom and security during these events, said the association.

The report also includes the following findings:

• While the curfews implemented on the grounds of the pandemic confined LGBTI+s to their homes, public institutions and followers of the ruling coalition parties continued to gather in mass events.
• The minister of interior admitted that LGBTI+s who attended student housing protests were profiled by the police.
• Musicians are banned from taking to the stage in Konya, Diyarbakır, Antep and Bursa on the grounds that they are LGBTI+s.
• LGBTI+ rights groups that were founded before 2020 were subject to audit and some of them had to pay administrative fines.

Despite this "all-out attack," LGBTI+s were the most dynamic group in the human rights field and they especially insist on exercising their freedom of expression, the association noted. (EMK/VK)