Trans Activist Defne Güzel at Risk of Imprisonment
Turkey Continues Repression Against LGBTIQ+ and Civil Society.
The Sex Workers’ Advocacy Network (SWAN) expresses its strong solidarity with Defne Güzel, a Turkish trans woman and prominent human rights defender, who is currently facing the risk of up to 3 years of imprisonment for her peaceful work advancing LGBTIQ+ rights in Turkey.
Defne Güzel is the Chairperson of the May 17 Association – one of the leading LGBTIQ+ organisations in Turkey. In 2024, the association became a target of the Turkish Ministry of Interior, as part of a broader pattern of escalating repression against LGBTIQ+ activists and civil society organisations across the country.
Following a wave of inspections and legal actions targeting local LGBTIQ+ organisations, criminal proceedings were initiated against Defne Güzel in connection with a book and an exhibition catalogue published by the May 17 Association. Turkish authorities claim that the catalogue and the OII Europe’s book “My Intersex Story” are “contrary to public morality,” implying that they promote harmful messages through LGBTIQ+ agenda. The indictment has been accepted by the Ankara 74th Criminal Court of First Instance and seeks to impose a prison sentence from 1 to 3 years and deprivation Defne Güzel of the rights to vote and be elected within a civil society sector again.
SWAN calls upon human rights defenders, international organisations, and civil society actors to publicly express their support for Defne Güzel. The ongoing repression of LGBTIQ+ activists in Turkey represents a serious threat to all minorities and marginalized groups across Europe and Asia, reflecting the growing influence of far-right agendas and an alarming trend toward restricting civic space.
As SWAN, we urge the Turkish authorities to immediately halt all legal proceedings against Defne Güzel and the May 17Association, and to uphold their international human rights obligations, including the protection of freedom of expression and association.
For solidarity, justice, and human rights.
Contact information:
Yildiz Tar
Editor in Chief
Kaos GL
[email protected]
www.kaosgl1.org
www.17mayis.org
Note to the editor:
The Sex Workers’ Rights Advocacy Network (SWAN) is a sex worker-led regional network in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia that advocates for the human rights of female, male and transgender sex workers. SWAN was founded in 2006 and was officially registered as the SWAN Foundation in January of 2012.