The X account belonging to Kaos GL, a leading Turkish LGBT rights organization, was blocked early Tuesday (June 24) in Turkey.
A statement from Kaos GL following the ban described it as a violation of freedom of speech during Pride Month, which takes place yearly in June:
“Readers from Turkey can no longer access our @kaosgl account, which has 47,5000 followers. X did not inform us of this ban…We do not acccept this blatant attack on the freedom of expression of LGBTI+ persons. We find it particularly meaningful that this ban was instituted during Pride Month. This is not only a struggle for our rights– it is a struggle for our very existence. We will return to X in the near future. KaosGL.org will not be silenced!”
Users who attempt to access the account in Turkey will now see a message reading: “Inaccessible due to a legal request.”
Kaos GL
Founded in 1994, Ankara-based Kaos GL is one of the largest LGBT organizations in Turkey. Kaos runs a community center in the Turkish capital, and publishes a quarterly magazine focusing on LGBT issues in Turkey.
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On Sunday (June 22), a Trans Pride March took place in Istanbul in which 46 demonstrators were arrested. On Monday, it was announced that all had been released, with an international travel ban imposed on five participants.
Written/translated for Medyascope by Leo Kendrick
