Police obstruct Pride event, assail Green Left MP in Adana

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

Police in Adana, southern Turkey, obstructed a Pride event yesterday, detaining 18 individuals and assaulting a Green Left (Yeşil Sol) Party MP.

The incident occurred when MP Perihan Koca attempted to deliver a statement in solidarity with the LGBTI+ community at a gathering organized by the Adana Pride Week Committee.

In a show of excessive force, the police dispersed the crowd and subjected some individuals to restraints. Among those detained were lawyers and the Adana co-chair of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), the sister party of the Green Left.

Sharing her ordeal on social media, MP Koca said, "Dozens of our comrades were brutally detained during the event organized by the Adana Pride Week Committee.

"Despite identifying myself as a member of parliament, they attempted to detain me by handcuffing me behind the back. When I reminded them of our constitutional rights, I was subjected to physical assault.

"We will not back down in the face of such unconstitutional actions. We will continue to fight for justice and uphold our rights."

Following the incident, Koca visited the Adana Forensic Medicine Institution and obtained a medical report documenting the physical assault she endured.

Late at night, the detainees were released from police custody after the completion of necessary procedures.

The incident is the latest in a series of attacks on LGBTI+ rights in Turkey. In recent years, the government has cracked down on Pride events and other expressions of LGBTI+ identity. This year's Pride Month witnessed the banning of various activities, including demonstrations, pride marches, film screenings, and social gatherings.

According to the ILGA Europe Rainbow Index, Turkey ranks as the second worst country in Europe for LGBTI+ rights, highlighting the urgent need for improved protection and inclusivity.

Adana'da Onur Ayı için düzenlenen basın açıklamasında Sözcüler Kurulu üyemiz ve Mersin Milletvekilimiz Perihan Koca darp edilirken birçok arkadaşımız polis tarafından işkence ile gözaltına alındı.

Gözaltına alınan arkadaşlarımız derhal serbest bırakılsın!@PerihanKoca pic.twitter.com/iP82mmFf3N

— Toplumsal Özgürlük Partisi (@toplumsalozgur) July 9, 2023

(TY/VK)