10/02/2026 | Writer: Kaos GL
LGBTI+ organizations issued a joint response to the lawsuit filed against Defne Güzel, Chair of the 17 May Association, calling on the entire democratic public to speak out against what they described as a “legal absurdity.”
Fourteen LGBTI+ rights organizations operating in Turkey have issued a joint press statement against the lawsuit filed against Defne Güzel, Chair of the Board of Directors of the 17 May Association, on charges of “violating the Law on Associations.” The organizations stated that the indictment prepared by the prosecutor’s office disregarded a previous expert report and described the judicial process as “unlawful.”
Contradiction between the expert report and the indictment
The signatory organizations drew attention to contradictions in the investigation process. The statement recalled that following inspections launched against associations in 2024, the expert panel appointed during the investigation concluded in its report dated July 9, 2025, that the association’s activities were in compliance with the law.
However, the statement noted that the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office ignored this report and included the following remarks:
“However, the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office disregarded the experts’ favorable report and prepared an indictment on January 20, 2026, seeking imprisonment and a political ban for Defne Güzel, Chair of the 17 May Association. Such a blatant violation of the law is proof that this case is not a legal process but a political attempt at intimidation.”
Subject of the charges: Intersex stories and an exhibition catalogue
Among the materials presented as evidence in the case file are a book in which intersex individuals recount their own life stories and an exhibition catalogue. It was also stated that social media posts by third parties with no official connection to the association were included in the file.
The organizations described this situation as a violation of the principle of “individual criminal responsibility” and emphasized the following:
“The materials cited as evidence consist of a book in which intersex people tell their own stories and an exhibition catalogue that falls within the scope of artistic freedom of expression. We reject the criminalization of scientific, artistic, and rights-based work under the guise of ‘public morality.’”
Closure decision against the Young LGBTI+ Association recalled
The LGBTI+ organizations recalled that a similar pattern of judicial harassment, based on charges of “violating the Law on Associations and obscenity,” resulted in the closure of the Young LGBTI+ Association. They stated: “These instances of judicial harassment are part of systematic attacks targeting LGBTI+ people under the banner of the ‘Year of the Family.’”
Hearing date: May 12
The 14 organizations called on the public to follow the hearing, which will be held on May 12, 2026, at the Ankara 74th Criminal Court of First Instance.
The statement concluded with the following words:
“This case is not only against Defne Güzel; it is a case against intersex visibility, artistic production, freedom of association, and all LGBTI+ organizations. As LGBTI+ organizations, we stand with our fellow activist Defne Güzel. We call on all segments of the democratic public to raise their voices against this legal absurdity.”
Full text of the statement and signatories:
Rights Advocacy Is Not a Crime: We Stand with Defne Güzel and the 17 May Association!
Systematic pressure aimed at shrinking the space for civil society in Turkey and silencing LGBTI+ rights defenders has entered a new phase with the lawsuit filed against Defne Güzel, Chair of the Board of Directors of the 17 May Association.
We, the undersigned organizations, speak with one voice against this unlawfulness: LGBTI+ rights advocacy cannot be put on trial!
The expert report was ignored, the law was violated
As a result of inspections launched against LGBTI+ associations in 2024, the expert panel appointed by the Prosecutor’s Office clearly determined in its report dated July 9, 2025, that all activities of the 17 May Association were in compliance with its statute and the law.
However, the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office disregarded the experts’ favorable report and prepared an indictment on January 20, 2026, seeking imprisonment and a political ban for Defne Güzel, Chair of the 17 May Association. Such a blatant violation of the law is proof that this case is not a legal process but a political attempt at intimidation.
Intersex voices and art cannot be censored under the pretext of “public morality”
The materials cited as evidence consist of a book in which intersex people tell their own stories and an exhibition catalogue that falls within the scope of artistic freedom of expression. Even more alarming is the fact that social media posts by third parties with no connection to the association were included in the case file, trampling on the principle of “individual criminal responsibility.” We reject the criminalization of scientific, artistic, and rights-based work under the guise of “public morality.”
We are here in solidarity!
A similar pattern of judicial harassment, based on charges of violating the Law on Associations and obscenity, previously resulted in the closure of the Young LGBTI+ Association. These instances of judicial harassment are part of systematic attacks targeting LGBTI+ people under the banner of the “Year of the Family.” Therefore, this case is not only against Defne Güzel; it is a case against intersex visibility, artistic production, freedom of association, and all LGBTI+ organizations.
As LGBTI+ organizations, we stand with our fellow activist Defne Güzel. We call on all segments of the democratic public to raise their voices against this legal absurdity.
Date: May 12, 2026
Time: 09:40
Venue: Ankara 74th Criminal Court of First Instance (Ankara Courthouse)
Defne Güzel cannot be tried; rights advocacy cannot be put on trial!
Signatories:
20 Kasım Association, 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, Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans Intersex+ Families and Allies Association (LİSTAG), Mersin 7 Renk Education Research and Solidarity Association, Muamma LGBTI+ Education Research and Solidarity Association, Pembe Hayat LGBTI+ Solidarity Association, Özgür Renkler Association, Social Policy, Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Studies Association (SPoD), ÜniKuir Association.
Tags: human rights, women, media, lgbti
