The Turkey office of Amnesty International has called on Turkish authorities to immediately and unconditionally release dozens of LGBTQ+ activists who were detained in İstanbul over the weekend during the city’s 11th Trans Pride March.
At least 46 people were taken into custody in the Kadıköy district on Sunday, both before and after the peaceful demonstration.
June is celebrated as Pride Month in Turkey and around the world, when LGBTQ+ people hold marches, protests and other activities to demand greater rights and an end to discriminatory practices.
Dün İstanbul Trans Onur Yürüyüşü öncesinde ve sonrasında en az 46 kişi gözaltına alındı ve barışçıl toplanma haklarını kullanmaları engellendi.
● Yalnızca barışçıl toplanma hakkını kullandığı için gözaltına alınan ve halen gözaltında tutulan herkes derhal ve koşulsuz olarak…
— Amnesty Türkiye (@aforgutu) June 23, 2025
Police reportedly surrounded and forcefully detained the group as it gathered in the streets of Acıbadem, with some detainees alleging they were beaten. According to the İstanbul branch of the Progressive Lawyers Association (ÇHD), 43 people were initially detained, of whom 39 spent the night at the İstanbul Police Station, and all 43 including one tourist were due to appear in court on Monday. Three minors who were detained were released overnight.
Amnesty Turkey condemned the detentions and urged authorities to respect and protect the right to peaceful assembly. “All individuals detained solely for exercising their right to peaceful assembly must be released immediately and unconditionally,” the organization said in a statement on X on Monday.
“Authorities must end violations against LGBTQ+ individuals’ freedom of assembly and right to live free from discrimination,” it said.
The Trans Pride March organizing committee said several activists were temporarily “forcibly disappeared” without access to legal counsel or information about their whereabouts. They also alleged that some detainees were subjected to intrusive questioning and digital rights violations.
The Human Rights Association (İHD) reported that lawyers were prevented from meeting with their clients in custody. “This is a clear violation of the right to legal defense and a fair trial,” İHD said in a statement, adding that the detainees included minors and refugees.
As of Monday the Turkish government has not issued an official statement regarding the detentions. The İstanbul Governor’s Office had earlier shut down metro access to Taksim and Şişhane, a common move during public demonstrations.
The ÇHD said the total number of detentions may exceed 50. Legal experts and rights advocates argue that the detentions violate constitutional protections and international human rights standards.
Homosexuality is not illegal in Turkey, but homophobia is widespread. After a spectacular Pride March in İstanbul drew 100,000 people in 2014, the Islamic-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP) government responded by banning future events in the city, citing security concerns.
LGBTQ+ groups in the past have gone ahead with their plans to hold their marches despite the bans, which sometimes leads to confrontations with the police and detention of the participants.
There have also been instances when the attendees faced criminal charges for “participating in an unlawful assembly” or “failing to disperse despite being warned” and up to three years in prison for taking part in Pride marches.
It is common for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and other politicians from the AKP to attack LGBTQ+ individuals and accuse them of perversion and ruining family values.
Turkey was ranked 47th among 49 countries as regards the human rights of LGBTQ+ people in the 2025 edition of the Rainbow Index released in May by the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA), which placed Turkey among the bottom five countries for LGBTQ+ rights in Europe.