İstanbul MP faces criminal complaint for calling police 'occupiers' at Trans Pride March

Click here to read the article in Turkish

Turkey's General Directorate of Security (EGM) filed a criminal complaint against İstanbul Deputy Özgül Saki of the Green Left Party (YSP) for calling the police "occupiers" during the Trans Pride March on June 18.

In a social media post today (June 19), the EGM highlighted the importance of respecting the police and that hurling insults at them is completely unacceptable.

During the 9th edition of the march, Saki stated, "As everyone could see, the Trans Pride March that was supposed to take place in Taksim today couldn't happen because the police occupied every corner of Taksim, as if they were an occupying force. Police brutality came quickly. As you can see, they arrested our friends under torture. This struggle, the Trans Pride March, the struggle of the LGBTI+ community, is not just their struggle. It is the struggle of every one of us."

???? CANLI BLOG ????️‍????????️‍⚧️ #TransOnurYüyüşü’nde neler oluyor?

????️ Yeşil Sol Parti milletvekili @ozgulsakii: "Bugün arkadaşlarımız gözaltına alındı, arkadaşlarımız direndi. Bu mücadele, onur yürüyüşü sadece onların değil; her birimizin mücadelesi”

????️ Haber: @kepenekevrimm & @tucyil… pic.twitter.com/DtElbMdvux

— bianet (@bianet_org) June 18, 2023

Trans Pride March returns after six years

Yesterday (June 18), marked the return of İstanbul's Trans Pride March after a six-year hiatus. Days prior to the parade, İstanbul Governor, Davut Gül, made it clear that no permission was granted for the event, emphasizing that, "No activity that threatens our family institution, which is the guarantee of our nation and state, will be allowed. Groups engaging in unauthorized demonstrations will never be permitted."

The march was eventually marred by police barricades and clashes, resulting in the detention of multiple participants.

The prohibition of the 9th edition of the march has been indicative of a larger trend of recent limitations and efforts to marginalize the LGBTI+ community by the government. Throughout Pride Month, a range of activities, including film screenings and tea gatherings, have been subjected to restrictions imposed by the authorities. (EMK/WM)