Court Lifts LGBTI+ Event Ban in Ankara

A court has removed the Governor-imposed ban on the LGBTI+ events in the capital, ruling that "the public order can be preserved by not imposing a ban but taking the necessary measures."

İstanbul

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The ban on the LGBTI+ events in the capital Ankara has been removed by the 12th Administrative Trial Court of the Ankara Regional Administrative Court.

The Governor of Ankara in November 2017 imposed an indefinite ban on the events on the basis of the Law on the State of Emergency.

The Kaos GL Association appealed against the ban at the 12th Administrative Trial Court.

"Measures should be taken rather than banning the events"

Stating in its ruling that the ban is indefinite and there were no limitations on the ban, the court said that rather than imposing a ban on the events, "the security of the events must be ensured."

"Although the administration suggests that the events may disturb some parts of the society and may cause provocation, attacks or rebuff, the public order can be preserved by not imposing a ban but taking the necessary measures by means of the police," the court remarked.

Concluding that the Governor's ban resulted in the "unconditional, vague and excessive restriction of the basic rights and freedoms," the court of appeal overturned the ban on the LGBTI+ events.

After the verdict, the Middle East Technical University (METU) LGBTI+ Solidarity announced that the 9th Pride in the university will be held on May 10.

What happened?

Ankara Governorship banned the events to be held by "LGBTI NGOs" indefinitely on the pretext of "public morality" and "social sensitivity and sensibilities" on November 19.

The Governorship banned German LGBTI Film Days on November following some tweets posted with the hashtags #LGBTFilmGünleriİptalEdilsin (#MayLGBTFilmDaysBeCancelled) and #İstiklalimizeKaraLeke (#BlackMarkOnOurFreedom).

The 11th leg of the Gender-Based Journalism Workshop carried out by the International Press Service (IPS) Communication Foundation with the support of Kaos GL, was canceled as well as it was targeted by the media. The workshop was planned to be held on November 18, in Turkey's southeastern province of Mardin.

(EMK/VK)