LGBTI+s targeted in 1,476 hate news in Turkey in 2020

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According to the hate speech monitoring report prepared by Aslı Alpar from Ankara-based Kaos GL LGBTI+ association, 1,476 instances of discrimination and hate speech about LGBTI+s were identified in the local and national newspapers of Turkey in 2020.

Sharing the results of its monitoring report with the public, the association has noted, "In the periods when hate speech in newspapers peaked, public officials make discriminatory remarks targeting LGBTI+s."

As "the most striking" example of this relation, the Kaos GL has referred to the speech of President of Religious Affairs Ali Erbaş, who targeted LGBTI+s and people living with HIV in his Friday sermon on April 24, 2020.

"It is seen that hate speech considerably increased in newspapers in April and May," the association has underlined.

"Similarly, July, the month of Pride Week, was also a month when hate speech increased," according to Kaos GL. Recalling that July was also the month when a question was asked about musician Mabel Matiz in the Higher Education Institutions Exam (YKS), the association has noted that "it was also used as an excuse for using hate speech in newspapers."

"Again, this month, Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, AKP Aydın MP Metin Yavuz, MHP Vice Chair Fethi Yıldız and Felicity Party Chair Temel Karamollaoğlu used hate speech against LGBTI+s," the monitoring report has shown further.

Sharing details about the numbers of hate speech and discriminatory remarks in newspapers on a monthly basis, the association has indicated that 51 hate news were published in December, 74 hate news in November, 103 hate news in October, 89 hate news in September, 246 hate news in August, 264 hate news in July, 98 hate news in June, 212 hate news in May, 194 hate news in April, 84 hate news in March, 30 hate news in February 31 hate news in January 2020. (EMK/SD)