Intervention in LGBTI+ rights protest in Istanbul: Journalists and lawyer detained

The police intervened in the protest held in front of the Istanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan yesterday against the operations carried out against LGBTI+ people under the name "My Family is Safe".

During the operation in which many people were detained, BirGün newspaper reporter Sarya Toprak and German ARD TV reporter Sener Azak, who were following the news, and Istanbul Bar Association Women's Rights Center Executive Board Member lawyer Gülyeter Aktepe were also detained.

"ALL CITIZENS, TOGETHER WITH OUR REPORTER, SHOULD BE RELEASED"

In the statement made by BirGün newspaper, calling for the immediate release of reporter Toprak, the following was noted:

"Unlawful attacks on fundamental rights and freedoms continue in Turkey. Police intervened against citizens who came together in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir yesterday (September 15) to protest operations against LGBTI+ rights institutions. Many people, including our reporter Sarya Toprak, were detained during the interventions. Those who were detained spent the night in police headquarters.

Sarya Toprak is a journalist and she has done whatever the journalism profession requires. Detaining a journalist covering a social protest is clearly unlawful and an attack on press freedom. However, no one's sexual identity or orientation is a crime. No one can be portrayed as "guilty" or discredited using these justifications. The real crime is to foster hatred.

We condemn the unlawful acts committed and demand the release of all citizens detained together with our reporter Sarya Toprak. "We will not give up journalism in the face of pressure."