EFF strongly condemns
Turkey’s state-led discriminatory, oppressive attacks
on feminist and LGBTQ+ organisations, media platforms, student groups, and rights defenders and activists within the country.
Since mid-September, access to the websites and social media accounts of a dozen organizations have been
blocked by court order
, while over 60 members and activists have been detained, their offices and homes
raided
, mobile phones, laptops and other digital devices seized, and judicial proceedings launched against them.
These actions threaten the very existence of the LGBTQ+ organizations targeted, limiting their ability to carry out legitimate human rights work, deterring participation and support, and chilling the free speech rights of not just these groups, but any organization that even reports on LGBTQ+ oppression.
A little over a week ago, an Istanbul court
shut down the website and social media accounts of T24
, Turkey’s longest running independent digital news organization—which has covered government-backed campaigns against and earlier crackdowns on gay rights groups—alleging it had aired “LGBT propaganda” over the past year.
It’s all part of Turkey’s efforts to portray LGBTQ+ groups and support networks for those living with HIV as criminal organizations that must be suppressed, purportedly to protect family values. Homosexuality is not illegal in Turkey (unlike
Uganda
,
Nigeria
, and
Egypt
, where it is criminalized), but LGBTQ+ organizations and activists have in recent years faced
increased government oppression
, including criminal proceedings on allegations related to obscenity and violations of Turkey’s Law on Associations, which regulates the activities of nonprofits.
In its new crackdown, the government is targeting LGBTQ+ groups’ websites and social media channels for alleged obscene posts accessible to children. Kaos GL, Turkey’s oldest gay rights organization,
said investigations are being led by the Cyber Crimes Bureau o
… [more]
