Turkish police detain 36 activists during Eskişehir and Adana Pride marches, batter MP

Turkish police on July 9 battered and detained 18 activists in Eskişehir province and 18 others in Adana province during LGBTI+ pride marches. The police battered and tried to detain Green Left Party MP Perihan Koca during Adana Pride March.

Monday July 10 2023 10:48 pm

Turkish police detain one LGBTI+ activist during Eskişehir Pride March.

Duvar English

Turkish police on July 9 battered and detained 36 activists in total during LGBTI+ Pride marches organized in Eskişehir and Adana provinces.

Adana Governor’s Office on July 7 announced that it banned "all kinds of actions and events that disrupt public order and public morality." The police on July 9 prevented LGBTI+ activists from issuing a press statement and temporarily detained eighteen people including lawyers using brute force. All participants were released later in the night.

İŞKENCECİ POLİSLER HESAP VERECEK!

Basın açıklaması yapmak anayasal hakkımızdır! Kriminalize etme çabalarınıza göz yummayacağız! Vardık, varız, var olacağız! #Anarya NE AYOL? pic.twitter.com/DqZoKD156U
— Adana LGBTİ+ Onur Haftası (@AdanaPride) July 9, 2023

The police also tried to detain Green Left Party (YSP) lawmaker Perihan Koca, who was in Adana to support the march, with reverse handcuffs and beat her, even though she said she was an MP. Koca on July 10 made a statement in parliament to react to the attacks and said, "The criminal network in power is engaging in extremely dangerous provocations by targeting the lives and existence of the LGBTI+ community."

Adana'da Onur Ayı için düzenlenen basın açıklamasında Sözcüler Kurulu üyemiz ve Mersin Milletvekilimiz Perihan Koca darp edilirken birçok arkadaşımız polis tarafından işkence ile gözaltına alındı.

Gözaltına alınan arkadaşlarımız derhal serbest bırakılsın!@PerihanKoca pic.twitter.com/iP82mmFf3N
— Toplumsal Özgürlük Partisi (@toplumsalozgur) July 9, 2023

Eskişehir Governor’s Office on June 14 banned all pride week events in the province for a month on the grounds that they "violate public morality.” The police on July 9 battered and detained 18 LGBTI+ activists while they were issuing a press release in the city center.

Arkadaşlarımızın hepsi dağılın uyarısı gelmeden hukuksuzca gözaltına alındı.

Tüm arkadaşlarımızın derhal serbest bırakılmasını istiyoruz! #eskisehirpride pic.twitter.com/APysD5ShYG
— Pride Eskişehir (@PrideEskisehir) July 9, 2023

Antalya Governor’s Office on July 4 also banned pride week events in the city. As the LGBTI+ activists on July 9 sought to organize a pride march in the province, their plans were impeded by a police blockade at the union building where they had assembled, resulting in the cancellation of the march. The activists read the press statement in the building.

Tüm yasaklara rağmen her yıl daha da güçlenerek süren aynı inat ve cesaret ile 9.Antalya Onur Haftası'nda
korkmadan; yaşamsal bir hakikat olan cinsel yönelim ve cinsel kimlik çeşitliliğini bir kez daha haykırmak için buradayız.
"Sen de seviyorsun, biliyorum!" #Pride pic.twitter.com/Jv3MVmocLZ
— Kadın Savunması (@kadinsavunmasi) July 9, 2023

Turkish authorities in 2023 banned nearly all pride week events and attacked pride marches across the country. Dozens of LGBTI+ activists have been detained and subjected to violence.