AKP plans to shut down LGBTI+ associations in Turkey with constitutional amendment proposal

Duvar English

A Justice and Development Party (AKP) official said that the adoption of the constitutional amendment, which was brought up by his party and accepted by the Parliamentary Constitutional Commission could pave the way for the closure of Turkey’s LGBTI+ associations. The General Assembly of the Parliament has not discussed the proposal yet.

In the proposed constitutional amendment against the country’s LGBTI+ community, the title of Article 41 of the constitution was changed to “protection of the family, marriage union and children's rights.” The AKP lawmakers added the provision "Marriage union can only be established between a man and a woman" in the article regarding the marriage. 

In addition, the AKP justified the provision as "It is the primary duty of the state to protect the family structure, which is the foundation of Turkish society, and to take measures against any danger, threat, attack, decay, and perversion against the family."

Speaking to online news outlet Diken, an AKP official said that LGBTI+ associations would be closed down immediately with the enactment of this amendment. "Actually, this would have been possible with an amendment to the law on associations. However, they would apply to the high courts, and we cannot know the decisions that will come out of there. We need to quickly get rid of the organized form of this spreading perversion," the official added.

The official also stated that the constitutional amendment will result in “harmonization” with other laws which would pave the way for them to outlaw LGBTI+ organizations as unconstitutional. 

Lawyers stage anti-LGBTI+ protest in front of Istanbul Bar Association

A group of lawyers who are members of the Istanbul Bar Association on June 23 protested against the “Pride Week and LGBTI+ Rights Panel” planned to be held at the bar association on June 24. 

"The event organized under the name of pride week, which serves the ideological, cultural, political attacks of LGBT, should be canceled," the anti-LGBTI+ hate group stated. They claimed that the bar association “plans to introduce the unscientific theories of the West-centered LGBT ideology into the law.”

Anti-LGBTI+ groups on June 17 also attacked İzmir Bar Association members during their pride month event and the police did not disperse the group.

Anti-LGBTI+ group spreads hate in front of Swedish Embassy

In the capital Ankara, members of the hate organization Family Association on June 23 made a press statement in front of the Swedish Embassy. They claimed that the Swedish state supports "perverted movements aimed at destroying Turkish families" and "creating a genderless society project" by funding LGBTI+ associations in Turkey.

Rainbow flag hung on the Workers’ Party of Turkey bureau covered with Turkish flag

The rainbow flag hung at the Workers' Party of Turkey's (TİP) district office in the central Anatolian province Konya was covered with a giant Turkish flag hung over the building.

Kocaeli Governor’s office bans LGBTI+ events in province

Kocaeli Governor’s office on June 23 banned all LGBTI+ events in province until the end of June because the authorities deemed the events organized by the community “against public morality; national, conscientious, humanitarian values; and social peace.”

Even though Turkish authorities nearly banned all "LGBTI+ themed events" across the country, they have been allowing anti-LGBTI+ groups to organize and stage protests. During pride month, many hate groups have organized protests against the LGBTI+ community which often includes physical attacks.