LGBT+ Flag Case: 2 Students Released

Two detained defendants were released in the trial in which seven students were tried for a collage work in which LGBT+ flags were placed on the image of the Kaaba at an exhibition at Boğaziçi University.

Two students, Doğu D. and Selahattin U., who were convicted of inciting hatred and enmity, were released due to the exhibition of an anonymous collage work on the image of the Kaaba at Boğaziçi University with the Shahmaran figure and LGBT+ flags.

The hearing of the case in Istanbul 21st Criminal Court of First Instance, where seven people, two of whom are under arrest, was held at the 12th High Criminal Court due to the large number of audiences.

All the defendants, including Doğu D. and Selahattin U., who have been under arrest for 47 days, were present in the courtroom. Among those who came to watch the hearing were politicians such as CHP’s Özgür Özel, Ali Şeker, Sera Kadıgil, Canan Kaftancıoğlu, TİP MP Barış Atay and Independent Deputy Ahmet Şık, as well as students’ friends and academicians.

In the case, which was held on the grounds that an anonymous collage work with a Shahmaran figure and LGBT+ flags were placed on the image of the Kaaba in the protests inside the campus, the students are tried with a prison sentence of one to three years on the charge of “publicly denigrating the religious values adopted by a section of the people”. In the case where two of the seven students were put on trial, one defendant is under house arrest.

During the hearing, which lasted about four hours, the judge asked the students “Do you have an LGBTI membership?”, And Levent Pişkin, one of the students’ lawyers, objected to the question.

Stating that it is a constitutional crime to force anyone to explain whether they are LGBTI+ or not, Pişkin emphasized that there is no such organization as “LGBTI” and therefore there cannot be a concept called LGBTI member, “There is a kind of criminalization effort. LGBTI+ society is tried to be criminalized in this way. “There are gay Muslims. There are also homosexual pilgrims. There are also those who go on the pilgrimage among homosexuals.”

On the other hand, when the statement of the defendant Sena Nur B. was taken, the judge showed her in the official courtroom and said, “Is this the picture?” he asked the students.

At the hearing, the defendant’s lawyers stated that the exhibition containing the work in question was only accessible to school students and graduates; He pointed out that the incident was enlarged after the Yeni Şafak newspaper was targeted, and the students were targeted after the issue was reflected in the media.

The court has set the date for the next hearing as July 5, 2021

LGBTI: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex

Acid Attack Against Syrian Trans Woman in Istanbul

In Beyoğlu, Istanbul, a man attacked to a Syrian trans woman with acid.

It was learned that the woman who was taken to the hospital had vision loss in one eye.

Injured trans woman was taken to the “Okmeydanı Prof. Dr. Cemil Taşcıoğlu” city hospital.

The person who attacked the woman and claimed to be the man she left a while ago has not been caught yet.

On the other hand, a trans woman visited the attacked trans woman in the hospital and posted a video from her Instagram account.

According to the news in DHA, she stated that the trans woman was 17 years old and that the attack took place in front of the woman’s door.

She said, “There was a loss of vision in one eye, it was said that there was no hospital for burn treatment, and a doctor from the general surgery department refused to give me information.”

Turkish Police Detained Trans Women in Istanbul

Turkey Women’s Movement, met the day before the March 8 International Women of Kadikoy. As they dispersed after the action, trans activists were stopped by the police and asked to be taken into custody. Trans women got into taxis after other protesters prevented their detention. However, trans women were detained in taxis that were stopped by the police.

Police took strict security measures during the demonstration. Some banners were not allowed.

The 8 March Women’s Platform announced that, Havin Özcan and Yıldız İdil Şen were detained.

It was learned that a total of 6 people, 1 of whom was a journalist, were detained.

On Friday, before March 8, International Women’s Day, women gathered in Istanbul to prevent femicides, end violence and effectively implement the Istanbul Convention.

After the Bosphorus protests, there is a harsh attitude towards LGBTI people. LGBTI banners were not allowed in the action held yesterday in Beşiktaş on Friday.

Boğaziçi University’s LGBTI+ Studies Club Closed

According to the news of Bianet, Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun has shared a decision with the signature of rector Melih Bulu and announced that Boğaziçi University’s LGBTI+ Studies Candidate Club has been closed, arguing that the protests are “about it all.”

Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) targeted the LGBTI+ community after Boğaziçi University students used a picture of Kaaba – a holy site for Muslims – featuring LGBTI+ flags in an exhibition during the ongoing protests.

The picture was on the floor to be hung as part of an exhibition at the university’s South Campus when Boğaziçi University’s Islamic Studies Club (BİSAK) noticed it and deemed it an insult towards Islam.

“An art exhibition was launched on the campus on Thursday [Jan. 28] via using the ongoing protests against the rector appointment as an excuse,” BİSAK tweeted on Jan. 29, referring to the month-long protests against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s rector appointment to the university.

“We will never allow our Islamic values to be made fun of within our university. We don’t accept this immorality to be legitimized under the guise of art,” BİSAK said, which immediately drew the attention of pro-government and Islamist media outlets.

Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun has announced that Prof. Melih Bulu, who has been appointed as the new rector of Boğaziçi University by President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has closed the LGBTI+ Studies Candidate Club over an investigation launched into a picture featuring the Kaaba, which also led to the arrest of two students at the weekend.

Decision of closure

In the official document signed by Bulu and sent to the related units of Boğaziçi University, a reference was made to the investigation which led to the arrest of two students and house arrest of two others.

“The candidacy status of the LGBTI+ Studies Candidate Club has been lifted on the grounds of the activities subjected to the related investigation and organization of events without permission,” the decision has read.

Source: Bianet and Duvar English

Student Protests at Bogazici University

Students of Istanbul’s Bogazici University defied President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s appointment of Melih Bulu as their school’s rector for a third day in a row, accompanied by more police officers than the previous demonstrations. Students marched to the ferry docks after a protest on campus, crossed the Bosphorus and joined a crowd of hundreds more in Kadıköy.

Melih Bulu was appointed rector on January 1 by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and is a member of his ruling Justice and Development Party, AKP. He was rector of Halic University in Istanbul before assuming his new post.

“We do not want an appointed rector. Melih Bulu is not our rector,” student representatives said in a press statement, demanded his resignation and that of other politically appointed rectors.

“It is not a crime if a rector has a political identity,” Omer Celik, the spokesperson of the AKP, told a press conference on Tuesday.

The first protest, on Monday, was held at the Bogazici University campus. Dozens of students were detained during and after the protest by police.

LGBTI+ students attended the protests with rainbow flags.