World

LGBTQI+ activist arrested in Turkey

Council of Europe Youth Delegate and LGBTI+ activist Enes Hocaoğulları was detained at the airport in Turkey

06/Aug/25

LGBTQI+ activist Enes Hocaoğulları arrested in Turkey

Council of Europe Youth Delegate and LGBTI+ activist Enes Hocaoğulları was detained at the airport in Turkey.

Hocaoğulları was referred to court with a request for arrest, due to a speech delivered at the Council drawing attention to democratic backsliding in Turkey.

Enes Hocaoğulları, a youth delegate to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe and an LGBTI+ activist, was detained today upon arrival at Ankara Esenboğa Airport. After giving a statement to the prosecutor, he was referred to the Criminal Court of Peace with a request for pre-trial detention.

According to ÜniKuir, two separate investigations were being conducted against Hocaoğulları by the Terror Crimes Bureau of the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Press Crimes Bureau of the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. The charges relate to “publicly spreading misleading information” and “inciting hatred and enmity” — stemming from a speech delivered at the Council of Europe. These two investigations were later merged into a single case in Ankara.

Today, on 5 August 2025, Hocaoğulları’s flight landed at midday, and he was detained during passport control. His statement was taken directly by the prosecutor, who then referred him to the court for arrest on the charge of “publicly spreading misleading information.”

Hocaoğulları, a defender of LGBTI+ rights, was elected as a youth delegate to the Council of Europe’s Congress in February. In his speech during the March session titled “Young people in Turkey say enough is enough,” he raised concerns about the arrests of mayors, including Ekrem İmamoğlu, and the peaceful protests that followed. He also drew attention to police violence against youth since 19 March.

After his words — “We say enough is enough to reclaim our freedoms” — went viral, pro-government media and social media accounts launched a coordinated smear campaign. ÜniKuir Association and LGBTI+ rights defenders also became targets of this backlash.