Prominent trans activist handed prison sentence on ‘obscenity’ charges

A well-known transgender rights activist in Turkey has been handed a prison sentence on “obscenity” charges in a ruling her lawyers say reflects an intensifying crackdown on the country’s LGBTQI+ community.

Ankara’s 48th Criminal Court of First Instance on Tuesday sentenced Janset Kalan to five months in prison and a 400-lira (16 AZN)  fine, though the announcement of the verdict was suspended.

The case centres on a photograph shared on a social media account that Kalan insists is not hers. Prosecutors claimed the visibility of her “legs and cleavage” in the image constituted obscenity — a justification rights defenders described as arbitrary and discriminatory.

The ruling came as women across Turkey marched to mark 25 November – the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women — a coincidence activists called “a stark illustration of state hostility toward gender equality”.

Speaking to the LGBTQI+ advocacy organisation Kaos GL after the hearing, Kalan said: “The alleged crime is simply the visibility of my legs and cleavage. It is terrifying. By this logic, no one will be able to wear mini dresses, spaghetti straps, or bikinis.”

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