25/02/2026 | Writer: Kaos GL
160 human rights organizations, trade unions, bar associations, and professional bodies issued a joint statement against the anti-LGBTI+ legislative initiatives brought back onto the agenda: “We will continue to defend LGBTI+ rights; we stand side by side and we are stronger together!”
The Side by Side for Equality Platform (Eşitlik İçin Yan Yana Platformu), which came together to oppose the anti-LGBTI+ provisions included in the 11th Judicial Package and removed at the last minute following public backlash, issued a joint statement after the draft was brought back to the agenda this time as a separate bill.
Prepared upon the Platform’s call, the joint statement was signed by 160 human rights organizations, trade unions, bar associations, and professional bodies.
The 160 organizations reacted to the anti-LGBTI+ legislative initiatives by declaring: “No bill that criminalizes LGBTI+ people and human rights defenders should be introduced or adopted.”
The statement also emphasized that these initiatives are a continuation of repressive policies that have led to human rights violations for over a decade:
“The lawsuits filed against the chair of the May 17 Association and executives of the Young LGBTİ+ Association, the closure ruling issued against Young LGBTİ+ Association, the unlawful restriction of freedom of expression through ‘obscenity’ charges, arrests carried out after people were targeted with hate speech on social media, and the de facto obstruction of gender affirmation processes are recent examples of these systematic attacks.”
The joint statement concluded with the following words:
“As signatory civil society and human rights organizations, we uphold that a life worthy of human dignity, free and safe, is everyone’s right. We once again resolutely oppose these and similar legislative amendment proposals reflected in the media.
We will continue to defend LGBTI+ rights; we stand side by side and we are stronger together!”
Full Text of the Statement:
Joint Statement: Side by Side for LGBTI+ Rights Against Anti-LGBTI+ Legislative Initiatives!
The provisions sought to be added to the 10th and 11th Judicial Packages that targeted and demonized LGBTI+ people were withdrawn thanks in part to our collective solidarity. Now, however, it is being reported that a similar regulation, introducing prison sentences for LGBTI+ people and LGBTI+ rights defenders and further criminalizing gender affirmation processes that are already made difficult in practice, may be brought to the agenda as a separate bill.
As civil society organizations saying “Side by Side for Equality,” we reiterate our call: No bill that criminalizes LGBTI+ people and rights defenders should be introduced or adopted.
These initiatives are a continuation of repressive policies that have caused human rights violations for over a decade. The lawsuits filed against the chair of May 17 Association and executives of Young LGBTİ+ Association, the closure ruling against Young LGBTİ+ Association, the unlawful restriction of freedom of expression through “obscenity” charges, arrests carried out after people were targeted with hate speech on social media, and the de facto obstruction of gender affirmation processes are recent examples of these systematic attacks.
As signatory civil society and human rights organizations, we defend that a life worthy of human dignity, free and safe, is everyone’s right, and we once again firmly oppose these and similar legislative amendment proposals reported in the media.
We will continue to protect LGBTI+ rights; we stand side by side and we are stronger together!
Tags: human rights, women, media, life, family, trans, lgbti
