Social media influencer Mükremin Gezgin was formally arrested yesterday as part of an ongoing drug investigation led by the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office targeting celebrities.
Gezgin, who has 1.6 million followers on TikTok and 416,000 on Instagram, was detained in Ankara on the night of Feb 3.
Following procedures at the police station, Gezgin was referred to the İstanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan. A court ordered Gezgin's arrest on charges of "facilitating the use of drugs" and "encouraging or procuring a person for prostitution."
While pro-government media outlets alleged Gezgin, a trans woman, was placed in a male ward at Metris No. 2 Prison, journalist Barış Terkoğlu reported that the Justice Ministry denied these claims.
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"Mükremin Gezgin was placed in a single-person section. The information that the individual was put in a male ward is not true," Terkoğlu wrote on social media, adding that trans people are typically placed in specialized wards or single cells.
Prior to the arrest, Gezgin had been targeted by pro-government media outlets using the term "pervert" due to videos where Gezgin states, "I am a woman."
Gezgin's arrest follows the Jan 31 arrest of another trans woman influencer, Mika Raun Can, on similar charges of facilitating drug use.
In recent months, authorities have detained various public figures, including journalists, musicians, and businesspeople, on drug-related charges.
Reaction from LGBTI+ groups
The İstanbul LGBTI+ Pride Week and İstanbul Trans Pride Week committees condemned the operations in a joint statement.
"While the AKP leaves poor neighborhoods, youth, and students to the mercy of drugs, it criminalizes, detains, and arrests LGBTI+s with millions of followers on social media under the pretext of a 'drug investigation,'" the statement read.
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The committees claimed the operations do not target drug gangs but rather groups the government deems inappropriate. "We will not allow you to make 'lubunyas' pay the price for your order that deepens poverty. Instead of attacking LGBTI+s, eliminate the drug networks surrounding the country," the activists stated.
Other figures targeted in the same investigation include Murat Övüç, who was arrested on Dec 21 for "inciting hatred and enmity" before being released under judicial control, and Kerimcan Durmaz, who was similarly released after being detained on Jan 8. (TY/VK)
