US 'concerned' by Turkey's prevention of Pride march

State Department spokesperson Ned Price has said that the U.S. is concerned by Turkey's prevention of the Pride march in Istanbul. "We call on Turkish authorities to respect fundamental freedoms for all, including LGBTQI+ persons," Price said on Twitter.

Tuesday June 29 2021 11:53 am

Duvar English

State Department spokesperson Ned Price has said that the U.S. is concerned by Turkey's prevention of the Pride march in Istanbul, where police battered dozens and carried out detentions.

"We are concerned by the recent prevention of the exercise of freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly in Istanbul," Price said on Twitter on June 28.

We are concerned by the recent prevention of the exercise of freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly in Istanbul. We remain committed to promoting human rights and call on Turkish authorities to respect fundamental freedoms for all, including LGBTQI+ persons.
— Ned Price (@StateDeptSpox) June 28, 2021

"We remain committed to promoting human rights and call on Turkish authorities to respect fundamental freedoms for all, including LGBTQI+ persons," he added.

Turkish authorities have repeatedly banned Pride events in recent years. Before then, thousands of people used to take part in the parade in Taksim.

Turkey has long been a candidate to join the European Union but its accession process has been languishing for years amid tensions over a variety of issues including human rights.