06/08/2025 | Writer: Kaos GL
LGBTI+ organizations issued a joint response to the arrest of Enes Hocaoğulları: We stand with Enes Hocaoğulları and demand their immediate release!
Enes Hocaoğulları, a Council of Europe youth delegate and LGBTI+ activist, was detained today upon landing at Ankara Esenboğa Airport. Representing Türkiye at the Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities as a youth delegate, Hocaoğulları was referred to the Criminal Court of Peace with a request for arrest following a statement taken by the prosecutor.
Hocaoğulları has been under two separate investigations by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office Anti-Terror Crimes Bureau and the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office Press Crimes Bureau, on charges of “publicly spreading misleading information” and “inciting hatred and hostility among the public” due to a speech made at the Council of Europe. These two investigations were later merged in Ankara.
Today, on August 5, 2025, Hocaoğulları’s plane landed at the airport around noon, and they were detained at passport control. Our friend was directly questioned by the prosecutor and then referred to court with a request for arrest on the charge of “publicly spreading misleading information.”
The court ruled for the arrest of Hocaoğulları.
LGBTI+ organizations released a joint statement in response to the arrest decision, declaring: “We stand with Enes Hocaoğulları and demand their immediate release.”
The full statement and list of signatory organizations are as follows:
“Enes Hocaoğulları, Türkiye’s Youth Delegate to the Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, was arrested due to a speech delivered at the Council on March 27, 2025. We demand the immediate release of Enes Hocaoğulları.
This speech clearly expressed pressing realities such as the economic crisis, injustice, repression, discrimination, and especially the systematic exclusion faced by youth in Türkiye. Enes’s words, ‘Young people in Türkiye are saying enough is enough,’ constitute freedom of expression.
The targeting of Enes Hocaoğulları and the court decision to prosecute them in detention over a speech delivered under the roof of the Council of Europe is a clear act of intimidation—not only against freedom of expression, but also against youth, the opposition, LGBTI+ people, and all those engaged in the struggle for rights.
Today, LGBTI+ people and youth face discrimination in all spheres—from education and healthcare to housing and employment; when they are visible, they are targeted and silenced. Enes Hocaoğulları is being punished precisely for voicing this truth.
We remind:
Expressing one’s opinion is not a crime.
A speech delivered at the Council of Europe is protected under international law.
The existence struggle of LGBTI+ youth is legitimate and cannot be criminalized.
Article 217/A of the Turkish Penal Code has become a tool to prosecute rights-based statements under the pretext of “spreading misleading information.” This article adds to the long-standing politics of censorship, prohibition, and criminalization faced by LGBTI+ people.
As LGBTI+ organizations, we declare:
We stand with Enes Hocaoğulları and demand their immediate release.
We defend the right of LGBTI+ people and youth to speak out.
We demand the repeal of all legal provisions like Article 217/A that threaten freedom of expression.
Don't stay silent—shout it out: LGBTI+ people exist!”
Signatory LGBTI+ organizations:
17 May Association
November 20 Association for Struggle Against Hate Crimes
Ankara Rainbow Families Association (GALADER)
Young LGBTI+ Association
HEVİ LGBTI+ Association
Kaos GL Association
Red Umbrella Sexual Health and Human Rights Association
Lambdaistanbul LGBTI+ Solidarity Association
Association of LGBTI+ Families and Friends (LİSTAG)
Mersin 7 Colors LGBTI+ Association
Muamma LGBTI+ Education, Research and Solidarity Association
Free Colors Association
Pink Life LGBTI+ Solidarity Association
UniKuir Association
Tags: human rights, lgbti
