Eleven Members of the Genç LGBTI+ Association on Trial
On 8 April 2026, the eleven members of the executive and supervisory board of the Genç LGBTI+ Association will stand trial at the Izmir 47th Criminal Court of First Instance. The eleven human rights defenders are charged with violating the Law on Associations. The allegations refer to certain illustrations on the organisation’s social media account that the authorities consider ‘obscene’ and in violation of the Turkish Constitution. If convicted, the members face up to three years of imprisonment and punitive fines. On 11 December, in a different lawsuit the İzmir 3rd Civil Court of First Instance dissolved the Genç LGBTI+ Association, also citing the Law on Associations.
On 11 December 2025, the İzmir Third Civil Court of First instance ruled to dissolve the Genç LGBTİ+ (Young LGBGTI+) Association, on the grounds of ‘obscenity’ for illustrations posted on their social media. The Court stated that this is in violation of the Law on Associations. Additionally, eleven members of the organisation’s executive face upcoming criminal prosecution on the same charge.
Genç LGBTİ+ Association (The Young Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans Intersex Youth Studies and Solidarity Association) was established in İzmir in 2016 with the aim of researching issues affecting LGBTI+ young people. The association works to create public awareness around such issues, offer solutions and create open spaces for LGBTI+ young people to express themselves. The association’s work is focused on securing access to basic needs like housing, education and healthcare, youth rights, sexual rights, social activities, human rights advocacy, combating hate crimes and peer support.
On 8 April 2026, the eleven members of the executive and supervisory board of the Genç LGBTI+ Association will stand trial at the Izmir 47th Criminal Court of First Instance. The eleven human rights defenders are charged with violating the Law on Associations. The allegations refer to certain illustrations on the organisation’s social media account that the authorities consider ‘obscene’ and in violation of the Turkish Constitution. If convicted, the members face up to three years of imprisonment and punitive fines. On 11 December, in a different lawsuit the İzmir 3rd Civil Court of First Instance dissolved the Genç LGBTI+ Association, also citing the Law on Associations.
Genç LGBTİ+ Association (The Young Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans Intersex Youth Studies and Solidarity Association) was established in Izmir in 2016 with the aim of researching issues affecting young LGBTI+ people. The Association works to create public awareness, offer solutions, and create open spaces for young LGBTQI+ people to express themselves. The Association’s work is focused on securing access to basic needs like housing, education and healthcare, youth rights, sexual rights, social activities, human rights advocacy, combating hate crimes, and peer support.
The criminal investigation against the executive and supervisory board members of Genç LGBTI+ Association was initiated upon a request by the Izmir Governorship. Following a 2024 audit of the Genç LGBTİ+ Association by inspectors of the Ministry of Interior, the Governorship also requested a civil lawsuit to dissolve the Association. The audit was part of widespread inspections and administrative harassment targeting LGBTQI+ organisations in Türkiye. The inspectors’ report noted that the Association’s social media account contained five allegedly ‘obscene’ illustrations that were posted between 2019 and 2022.
Subsequently, the Public Prosecutor’s office initiated a criminal investigation against the human rights defenders on ‘suspicion of facilitating the publication of obscene material’ and ‘establishing an association for prohibited purposes or to commit criminal acts.’
On 28 October 2025, the Izmir Chief Public Prosecutor submitted the indictment under article 32/1p of the Law on Associations. The law states that if the activities of an association violate the Constitution or Turkish law, their executives may be punished with one to three years of imprisonment and financial penalties. Article 30 of the Law on Associations stipulates that an association “may not be founded to serve a purpose expressly prohibited by the Constitution or the laws.” The indictment argued that the objective outlined in the Association’s statue violates Article 41 of the Turkish Constitution on the ‘protection of the family and children’s rights.’ The indictment was accepted by the Court and the first hearing was scheduled for the 8 April 2026.
Front Line Defenders is deeply alarmed by the miscarriage of justice in the proceedings against the Genç LGBTİ+ Association and its executive and supervisory board members. Front Line Defenders believes that the organisation and its members are being directly targeted because of their legitimate human rights works in the defence of LGBTQI+ rights. Their prosecution appears to be in line with the declared ‘war on LGBTI+ rights’ by the authorities in Türkiye, whereby the ‘protection of the family and children’s rights’ is instrumentalised to prosecute LGBTQI+ defenders.
Front Line Defenders reiterates its call to the authorities in Türkiye to drop all the charges against the eleven human rights defenders and overturn the ruling that dissolved the Genç LGBTI+ Association. Türkiye must stop its systematic targeting and crackdown on LGBTQI+ rights defenders and organisations.
On 11 December 2025, the İzmir Third Civil Court of First instance ruled to dissolve the Genç LGBTİ+ (Young LGBGTI+) Association, on the grounds of ‘obscenity’ for illustrations posted on their social media. The Court stated that this is in violation of the Law on Associations. Additionally, eleven members of the organisation’s executive face upcoming criminal prosecution on the same charge.
Genç LGBTİ+ Association (The Young Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans Intersex Youth Studies and Solidarity Association) was established in İzmir in 2016 with the aim of researching issues affecting LGBTI+ young people. The association works to create public awareness around such issues, offer solutions and create open spaces for LGBTI+ young people to express themselves. The association’s work is focused on securing access to basic needs like housing, education and healthcare, youth rights, sexual rights, social activities, human rights advocacy, combating hate crimes and peer support.
On 10 December 2024, the İzmir Governorship reported Genç LGBTİ+ Association to the İzmir Chief Prosecutor’s Office. The Governship requested a civil lawsuit of dissolution and a criminal investigation to be initiated against members of the organisation. This came after a 2024 audit of the Genç LGBTİ+ Association by Ministry of Interior inspectors. The audit was part of the wave of inspections and administrative harassment that targeted LGBTI+ organisations in Türkiye. The inspectors’ report noted that the organisation’s social media account contained five allegedly ‘obscene’ illustrations posted between 2019 and 2022.
On 11 March 2025, the dissolution case commenced at İzmir Third Civil Court of First instance. However, due to a failure to notify the organisation, its members were not present at the first hearing. While their lawyers were able to present their arguments at a hearing on 8th April 2025, no proceedings took place until the final hearing, where the decision was issued t o dissolve the organisation. This was despite many scheduled hearings in between.
On 11 December 2025, the Court ruled that images posted on the organisation’s social media were ‘obscene’ and ‘encourage and incite individuals in society to engage in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transvestite, or transsexual behaviour.’ The Court found that the organisation could neither be considered ‘in line with the moral values of the society’ nor ‘Article 41 of the Constitution which stipulates that the family is the foundation of the Turkish society.’ Genç LGBTİ+ Association intends to appeal this decision.
Additionally, eleven members of the organisation’s executive face prosecution before the İzmir 47th Criminal Court of First Instance. This case is linked to the decision of the Public Prosecutor’s office to start an initial criminal investigation into the human rights defenders on ‘suspicion of facilitating the publication of obscene material’ and ‘establishing an association for prohibited purposes or to commit criminal acts.’ On 12 March 2025, the prosecutor’s office opened a second criminal investigation with identical accusations. This came after receiving a notification from the İzmir Governorship for more information regarding their request for criminal investigation.
On 14 August 2025, the initial criminal investigation was closed on the grounds that the illustrations did not constitute obscenity. The Genç LGBTİ+ Association’s lawyers submitted the decision to the Press Prosecutor who was running the second investigation and requested him to also close it. However, they were told that it would continue on suspicion of a different charge, namely, violation of the Law on Associations.
On 28 October 2025, Izmir’s Public Prosecutor’s office submitted its indictment, charging the human rights defenders with violating the Law on Associations. The first hearing is scheduled to take place on 8 April 2026 at 9am local time. If convicted, the human rights defenders face prison sentences of up to three years, as well as fines.
Front Line Defenders is deeply alarmed by the miscarriage of justice involved in the proceedings against the Genç LGBTİ+ Association and its members. Front Line Defenders believes that the organisation and its members are being directly targeted because of their legitimate human rights works in the defence of LGBTI+ rights, in line with the “war on LGBTI+ rights” that Turkish authorities have said to be waging. The dissolution of the LGBTİ+ rights organisation despite the decision that the illustrations do not constitute ‘obscenity’, continuous delay of hearings and duplicate proceedings for the same alleged offence, are in violation of the right to a fair trial.
Front Line Defenders calls the authorities in Türkiye to:
- Immediately drop the charges against the eleven human rights defenders and executives of Genç LGBTİ+ Association;
- Overturn the dissolution decision at appeal and guarantee the right to a fair and independent trial;
- Cease the crackdown on LGBTİ+ rights organisations and defenders;
- Ensure a safe environment free from harassment and reprisals for all human rights defenders, especially LGBTI+ rights defenders, to continue working peacefully to secure the full e njoyment of fundamental rights for all.
