10/06/2026 | Writer: Kaos GL
“We are determined to defend a life worthy of human dignity for everyone. We stand together against the 12th Judicial Package, and together we are strong!”
More than 200 organizations have called for a joint struggle against anti-LGBTI+ provisions that have resurfaced in the 12th Judicial Package. Reiterating their opposition to the measures, as they had done regarding previous judicial reform packages, the organizations stated: “We are determined to defend a life worthy of human dignity for everyone. We stand together against the 12th Judicial Package, and together we are strong.”
Addressing members of parliament, the organizations said:
“We call on all members of parliament not to enact legal amendments that threaten society as a whole, and LGBTI+ people, women and children in particular, and to publicly commit to acting in accordance with Türkiye’s Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression, equality and non-discrimination, as well as its international human rights obligations. Should these or similar proposals be formally brought to a vote, we call on all MPs to firmly reject them.”
The full statement reads as follows:
The anti-LGBTI+ provisions and proposed increases in penalties for children pushed into crime, which were planned to be included in the 10th Judicial Package in May 2025 and the 11th Judicial Package in October 2024, were removed following strong public backlash. According to information reported in the media last week, provisions concerning LGBTI+ people and children have once again been included in the draft 12th Judicial Package prepared by the Ministry of Justice. The package is also expected to introduce identity verification requirements for social media use and new regulations on divorce and alimony following a Constitutional Court ruling that annulled restrictions on poverty alimony.
The attempt to pass regulations affecting the lives, rights and existence of millions under the banner of “judicial reform,” through omnibus legislation and texts leaked to the press, once again demonstrates the extent to which democratic participation is being obstructed. While the 12th Judicial Package primarily targets the rights of women, LGBTI+ people and children, it also institutionalizes digital surveillance over society as a whole. Although we have not had access to the draft proposal, which reportedly amends 19 separate laws, information published in the media indicates that the following provisions threaten fundamental rights and freedoms:
The package further intensifies punitive measures aimed at deterring children pushed into crime. Maximum penalties for certain offenses are increased, sentence reductions are restricted, and access to parole becomes more difficult. Instead of strengthening child-friendly policies and protection mechanisms designed to address the social and economic causes that push children into crime, these security-focused measures violate the principle of the best interests of the child.
The identities of LGBTI+ people, as well as their freedoms of expression and association, are criminalized through concepts such as “contradiction to innate biological sex and public morality.” The minimum age for accessing gender-affirming procedures is raised to 25; trans people with children are prevented from beginning the process; the requirement of being “incapable of reproduction,” previously struck down by the Constitutional Court, is effectively reintroduced as a prerequisite; and access to healthcare procedures is made more difficult. These measures threaten trans people’s rights to life, health and bodily integrity.
Following the Constitutional Court ruling targeting women’s acquired right to alimony, time limits are imposed on poverty alimony. Ignoring the realities of increasing poverty among women and the fact that many alimony payments already fall below the poverty line and often cannot even be collected, these measures restrict women’s ability to make decisions about their own lives. Economic pressure further limits women’s access to divorce and protection from domestic violence.
Mandatory identity verification for access to social media is introduced for everyone in Türkiye. These measures legalize digital surveillance and profiling while making anonymous access to social media impossible. In a country where violations of freedom of expression are already widespread, this would place everyone at greater risk. The regulation is expected to deepen the chilling effect created by ongoing restrictions on free expression. As a result, not only individual social media users but society as a whole would face increased pressure on democratic debate, criticism and expression.
When the 11th Judicial Package was leaked to the press, 192 civil society and human rights organizations issued a statement on 31 October 2025 opposing the anti-LGBTI+ legal amendments. After learning that the same discriminatory provisions would be reintroduced through another legislative package, 165 organizations released a joint statement on 24 February 2026, reaffirming that a life of dignity, freedom and safety is a right for everyone and expressing their determination to continue the struggle.
Today, in order to build an even broader coalition against the 12th Judicial Package, which seeks to place our lives under siege, we call on all civil society and human rights organizations to raise their voices together against these provisions. Past experience has shown that by defending our lives, our rights, and the struggle for human rights and equality, we can stop increasingly harsh legislative measures that are repeatedly presented as threats against us.
As the undersigned civil society and human rights organizations, we reiterate our opposition to these measures, which threaten our fundamental rights and freedoms. A life of dignity, free from discrimination and violence, is a fundamental right of children, LGBTI+ people, women and all of us.
We call on all members of parliament not to enact legal amendments that threaten society as a whole, and LGBTI+ people, women and children in particular, and to publicly commit to acting in accordance with Türkiye’s Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression, equality and non-discrimination, as well as its international human rights obligations. Should these or similar proposals be formally brought to a vote, we call on all MPs to firmly reject them.
As signatory organizations, we are determined to defend a life worthy of human dignity for everyone. We stand together against the 12th Judicial Package, and together we are strong.
Tags: human rights, media, life
