06/10/2025 | Writer: Oğulcan Özgenç
On June 9, 2024, ten people were detained with torture during the Eskişehir Pride March. Lawyer Hasan Çayır: “While LGBTI+'s are subjected to judicial harassment, a decision of non-prosecution is issued for the police violence.”
On June 9, 2024, during the Pride March held in Eskişehir, the prosecutor’s office issued a decision of non-prosecution regarding the police torture of LGBTI+ activists.
In its decision, the Eskişehir Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office included the statements of the detained LGBTI+ individuals who were subjected to torture.
Those detained on the day of the Pride March reported that police officers threatened them with remarks such as “I’ll kill you here and no one will find you,” “You’ll die in my hands,” and “You haven’t seen torture yet, we’ll show you torture,” and that they were tortured inside the police van.
The activists stated that they were also subjected to torture both during detention and in custody.
LGBTI+ activists who filed complaints about police torture reported that they were denied water, left in suffocating heat, and subjected to harassment throughout their detention.
Prosecutor deemed police torture as “use of force”
The prosecutor’s office ruled non-prosecution against the police, arguing that “no traces of beating were found in forensic reports.” The decision referred to an expert report, stating that police torture should be considered “within the scope of the authority to use force,” that “there was no injury beyond the use of force,” and that “no evidence was found in the camera footage to suggest that the suspects exceeded their authority to use force or injured the complainants.”
Expert report ignored torture
The expert report included in the file failed to recognize the torture. Claiming to have reviewed the footage in full, the report stated:
“It was observed that the suspects resisted the police officers, chanted slogans, displayed banners, ignored police warnings, that some demonstrators kicked the police officers, and that threats and insults were made...”
No investigation to identify torturers
Lawyer Hasan Çayır appealed the decision of non-prosecution.
In the appeal, it was underlined that the decision lacked legal grounds, as no investigation was conducted to identify the police officers responsible for torture:
“The prosecutor’s office made its decision based on incomplete examination and investigation, without identifying the officers, without taking any statements, without comparing their voices and images with the video footage submitted to the file, and without obtaining a report in this regard.”
The appeal also emphasized that the expert report—which ignored police torture—was neither communicated to the detained activists who are now on trial nor was an opportunity to object provided.
Furthermore, it was stressed that police torture violated both the prohibition of inhuman treatment and the right to organize meetings and demonstrations.
“The policy of impunity absolves torture and rewards perpetrators”
Lawyer Hasan Çayır spoke to KaosGL.org.
Çayır noted that LGBTI+ people are subjected to judicial harassment and said:
“While LGBTI+ individuals are exposed to judicial harassment during Pride marches, decisions of non-prosecution are issued regarding police violence. The decision mentions an expert report dated 04/07/2025. This report was neither communicated to us nor were we granted the right to appeal. Despite this, police violence can clearly be identified from the images reflected in the press, medical reports, and testimonies of detained rights defenders. This policy of impunity not only fuels violence but also absolves torture and rewards its perpetrators.”
What happened in the Eskişehir Pride March trial?
The Eskişehir Pride March planned for June 9 was blocked by police violence. Ulus Monument, where the press statement was to be held, was placed under police blockade hours in advance. No ban decision was communicated to the activists or their lawyers before the attack. When the crowd demanded to see the ban decision, the police responded with detentions. Journalists attempting to record the attack were also prevented from filming.
Of the 10 people detained, 4 were released on the same day after giving statements, while 6 were referred to the criminal judgeship of peace, 3 of them with requests for arrest. Judicial control measures, such as reporting signatures and travel bans, were imposed on 5 of them, and all were eventually released by the court. However, they were kept waiting by the police until late at night without justification and released in a remote area with limited transportation.
At the conclusion of the trial, the court sentenced all the activists to 5 months in prison each for violating Law No. 2911. The court converted the prison sentences into fines of 15,000 lira each. In addition, the court sentenced 4 rights defenders to fines of 15,000 lira each for “resisting public officials.” The court also ruled against suspending the pronouncement of the verdict.
Tags: human rights, life, lgbti
