Court overturns ban on 9th METU Pride Parade

* Photo: kaosGL.org

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The Ankara 7th Administrative Court has overturned the ban imposed by the Middle East Technical University (METU) Presidency on the 9th METU LGBTI+ Pride Parade to be held in the campus in Ankara last year.

The court has concluded that the decision of the METU Presidency, which banned the parade by claiming that the indefinite ban on LGBTI+ events imposed by the Ankara Governor's Office based on State of Emergency Law in November 2017 was still in effect, was contrary to law.

As reported by kaosGL.org, in the lawsuit won by representatives from the METU LGBTI+ Solidarity against METU Presidency, the court has also concluded that the Solidarity is right in alleging that certain elements of the process such as authority, cause and aim were improperly executed.

'It no longer has legal basis'

In its ruling, the Ankara 7th Administrative Court has reminded the parties that the indefinite ban on LGBTI+ events declared by the Ankara Governor's Office in November 2017 based on the State of Emergency Law was lifted by the Regional Administrative Court in April 2019 and that the second indefinite ban on LGBTI+ events notified to the Ankara Security Directorate by Ankara Governor's Office on October 3, 2018 was also lifted by the Ankara 2nd Administrative Court on March 23.

As it has been understood that the ban of the METU Presidency no longer has legal basis as other LGBTI+ bans were previously overturned in Ankara, the court has concluded that the ban was not lawful.

2021 Pride Parade in the campus

Speaking to kaosGL.org about the ruling, the METU Solidarity has said that this result will protect the meetings and demonstrations to be held in campuses and prevent similar groundless bans in other cities as well.

METU LGBTI+ Solidarity is planning to hold the 2021 Pride Parade in their campus in capital Ankara (TP/SD)