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The Chair and Executive Board Members of the Ankara Bar Association are facing up to 2 years in prison over their press statement on President of Religious Affairs Ali Erbaş, who targeted LGBTI+s and HIV positive people.

Making a statement about the picture of Atatürk’s Tomb shared on the Turkish Armed Forces’ social media account, the Ministry of Defense has said that the posts to be shared are decided a month ago and they are not related with recent debates.

The criminal complaint requests that President of Religious Affairs Ali Erbaş shall stand trial for violating the Constitution and the Law on Crimes Committed against Atatürk over his remarks during Friday sermon at Hagia Sophia on July 24.

Rights organizations, politicians and bar associations have condemned President of Religious Affairs Ali Erbaş’s remarks targeting the LGBTI+s and HIV positive people. Ankara Bar and Human Rights Association (İHD) have filed a criminal complaint.

Sent by the Directorate of Religious Affairs to be read at all mosques across Turkey during the Friday prayer, this week’s Friday sermon has made targeting and discriminating remarks about LGBTI+ individuals.