02/12/2025 | Writer: Kaos GL
The first hearing in the case filed against trans activist İris Mozalar, one of the 112 people detained during the 23rd Feminist Night March, was held today. The hearing, conducted without observers, was adjourned to 9 June.
As part of the 8 March International Women’s Day events, a case was filed against trans activist İris Mozalar, one of the 112 people detained during the 23rd Feminist Night March held in Taksim. Mozalar appeared before the judge today at the Istanbul 7th Criminal Court of First Instance, charged with “violating Law No. 2911”
The hearing, during which observers were not allowed into the courtroom or permitted to take notes, was postponed to 9 June 2026 for the preparation of an expert report and the review of video footage.
“There is no name for this arbitrary practice, it's not even a trial”
After the hearing, feminists made a statement in front of Çağlayan Courthouse. They criticized the court’s attitude and the decision not to allow observers into the courtroom, saying:“In this case where our friend is being tried, despite empty seats in the courtroom, neither the press nor observers were allowed inside. From the very beginning, observers were denied entry, and one of our two friends who managed to get in was not allowed to take notes. Using this as a pretext, our friend who wanted to take notes was forcibly removed from the courtroom. In other words, the trial was not conducted publicly. Throughout the hearing, the judge took statements while swinging prayer beads, an attitude incompatible with the seriousness of a court hearing. There is no name for this arbitrary practice; it’s not even a trial. We do not accept this treatment. İris’s case has been postponed to 9 June 2026 for an expert report and footage analysis. As feminists, we will continue to follow the case!”
Feminists stressed that İris being the only person among the 112 detainees to be prosecuted amounts to “being targeted solely for being trans,” and continued:
“In a protest attended by tens of thousands, with over a hundred detentions, the fact that our feminist friend İris Mozalar is singled out just because she is trans is no coincidence. This is part of an effort to criminalize our existence and our identities. When tens of thousands of people made a press statement, was one person acting alone in violation of Law No. 2911? On 8 March 2025 we were in the streets saying that our feminist struggle is changing our lives and the world. We will be in the streets again. We continue to strengthen our feminist struggle against those who try to ban our existence, control our bodies and sexuality, and exploit our labor!”
Tags: human rights, women, life, trans, lgbti
