Eight individuals face trial for their involvement in the 22nd İstanbul Pride Parade, held on Bağdat Avenue in Kadıköy on June 30, 2024, according to a statement from the İstanbul LGBTI+ Pride Week Committee.
On the day of the parade, 11 people, including three minors, were detained with their hands cuffed behind their backs. They were released after lengthy questioning.
The İstanbul Anadolu Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office filed an indictment alleging that approximately 50 people had gathered on the sidewalk for an "unauthorized march" and accused eight individuals of violating the Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations.
The indictment described the Pride Parade as a "so-called pride march."
The first hearing is scheduled for May 8, 2025, at the İstanbul Anadolu Courthouse, 76th Criminal Court of First Instance.
Pride Week Committee calls for solidarity
The İstanbul LGBTI+ Pride Week Committee released a statement expressing their support for the defendants: "We have a court date, friends! On the same day they labeled us an 'illegal group' in their ban decision, the state—with all its prohibitions and resources—failed to stop the 22nd İstanbul Pride Parade.
"Now they have filed charges against eight of us, calling our parade a 'so-called pride march.' We stand with our friends and call on all human rights defenders to support this case against systemic, organized hatred." (TY/VK)