07/08/2025 | Writer: Yıldız Tar
Human rights institutions held a press statement in Ankara demanding “Freedom for Enes.” The statement emphasized that Enes’s arrest is part of the anti-LGBTI+ climate.
On August 6, human rights defenders held a press statement at the Ankara Branch of the Human Rights Association (İHD) in response to the arrest of Enes Hocaoğulları, the Council of Europe’s Youth Delegate for Türkiye, LGBTI+ rights activist, youth rights advocate, and UniKuir staff member. The statement was made following the call of May 17 Association, Youth Organizations Forum, Kaos GL Association, and UniKuir Association.
The statement was read by UniKuir General Coordinator Özgür Gür. While demanding Enes’s release, human rights defenders described the arrest as part of a systematic repression targeting freedom of expression and human rights advocacy.
"Freedom of expression and human rights advocacy are not crimes"
The statement recalled that Enes Hocaoğulları was detained at Ankara Esenboğa Airport on August 5, 2025, due to an arrest warrant and was later arrested the same day on the charge of “publicly disseminating misleading information.”It was stated that the speech cited as the basis for the arrest was delivered by Enes in his capacity as Youth Delegate to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe on March 27, 2025, during an urgent session on the arrest and removal of opposition mayors in Türkiye:
“In his speech, Enes criticized the repression and police violence during the protests led by youth in response to the democratic backsliding and unlawful practices following the March 19 process, and he proclaimed the empowering words: ‘Young people are saying enough is enough.’”
The statement emphasized that the speech content—including references to violations of the prohibition of torture and practices such as strip searches—was consistent with reports from bar associations and publicly available information:
“In this regard, it cannot legally be considered misleading information. However, we are well aware that this arrest decision was not made based on a genuine legal assessment.”
"Article 217/A of the Penal Code has become a tool of repression against press freedom"
The statement drew attention to Article 217/A of the Turkish Penal Code, which was used against Enes, labeling it a vaguely defined provision that restricts freedom of expression. It noted that this law is part of the so-called “disinformation law” enacted in 2022:“This ambiguity was deliberately created by the political power to arbitrarily restrict freedom of expression and to criminalize human rights advocacy.”
It was also emphasized that Enes’s speech aligned with the principles of the Council of Europe and international human rights standards, and that the prosecution was politically motivated:
“What damages the country’s reputation are not the activities within the scope of freedom of expression and human rights advocacy, but rather the criminalization of such activities and the arrest of a young human rights defender simply for speaking at an international institution.”
"Part of the anti-LGBTI+ climate"
The statement noted that Enes’s targeting and subsequent arrest were part of increasingly institutionalized anti-LGBTI+ policies in Türkiye:“With the declaration of 2025 as the ‘Year of the Family’ and the steps taken thereafter, attacks on LGBTI+ rights have entered a process of institutionalization. We know that Enes’s arrest is not separate from the family year policies, which include anti-LGBTI+ legislative proposals, the banning of hormone therapy access for young trans people, the blocking of social media accounts of kaosgl.org and LGBTI+ organizations, and the closure—despite court rulings—of the Hacettepe University Queer Deer Student Club for the second time.”
Demands of the human rights defenders
The press conference listed the following demands:- The immediate release of Enes Hocaoğulları,
- The Council of Europe and relevant international institutions to take a stance against this arrest and initiate diplomatic efforts,
- The involvement of international mechanisms, especially the United Nations Special Rapporteurs,
- The repeal of articles such as TPC 217/A,
- Public institutions to fulfill their obligations against hate campaigns targeting LGBTI+ people,
- The termination of Family Year policies,
- An end to the pressure on human rights defenders in Türkiye.
Human rights defenders called for solidarity with the hashtags “#ENESEÖZGÜRLÜK #FREEDOM4ENES.”
"The message is ready—it's in the youth"
After the press statement, representatives of participating organizations also spoke. Şirvan from Pink Life, referencing Enes’s speech at the Council, said:“We want to end this press statement with a quote from the historic speech that led to Enes’s arrest: If you don’t know what the message here should be, don’t worry. The message is ready. It’s in the youth. All you have to do is take the message of Enes and the youth resisting for a democratic Türkiye, and deliver it to decision-makers who refuse to listen to us. As Enes said: ‘If you are looking for a wake-up call, this is it.’”
İsmail Boyraz from the Human Rights Foundation of Türkiye noted that Enes returned to Türkiye voluntarily despite being abroad. Boyraz said:
“Our friend Enes, as a human rights defender, exposed the situation following March 19. Throughout this process, human rights defenders did their job.”
"Enes’s words are not a crime"
Barış Barışık from İHD Ankara Branch LGBTI+ Rights Commission stated:“We consider this arrest an attempt to silence the voices of LGBTI+ people and youth in Türkiye. It is not legally possible to arrest someone based on the charge attributed to Enes. This is unconstitutional. According to our laws, no one can be arrested for this offense. Enes’s words are not a crime.”
A representative from the Youth Organizations Forum stated that Enes spoke at the Council of Europe to build international solidarity and demanded the release of Enes and all youth detained for political reasons.
Following the statement, a joint message from university LGBTI+ groups was read. It said:
“Exposing rights violations and engaging in human rights advocacy is not a crime. It is not the human rights defenders who should be prosecuted, but those who commit torture.”
Finally, Feray Salman, General Coordinator of the Human Rights Joint Platform (İHOP), spoke. She reminded that the arrest has turned into a form of punishment and added:
“Especially when a newly formed commission is supposed to be discussing human rights and justice in this country, you cannot arrest Enes for merely repeating the truths reported on television and in human rights reports. That is not acceptable. Enes must be released immediately, and criminal courts of peace must return to legal standards. If they cannot, this issue must become a priority task for the newly formed commission.”
Tags: human rights, lgbti
