In Turkey, the 11th Legislative Package is submitted to parliament after anti-LGBTQI+ provisions are removed

The 11th “Legislative Package,” which first emerged on the public agenda in October and drew sharp criticism from human rights organisations, has been submitted to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. The removal of anti-LGBTQI+ provisions from the initial draft is being viewed as one of the rare instances in which the government has partially stepped back.

In the earlier version, an additional clause to Article 225 of the Turkish Penal Code would have imposed one to three years’ imprisonment on individuals who “promote or encourage behaviour contrary to innate biological sex and public morality.” Another provision proposed prison sentences ranging from one and a half to four years for same-sex couples who hold “engagement or wedding ceremonies.” These articles would also have enabled sanctions against digital platforms publishing LGBTQI+-themed content.

The draft also sought to tighten restrictions on the gender transition process: the minimum age for transition would have been raised from 18 to 25, and access to surgery would have required approval from a four-stage medical commission. Furthermore, performing an “unlawful gender reassignment surgery” would have carried prison sentences of three to seven years as well as substantial administrative fines.

All these provisions were removed from the final package submitted by the government. Nevertheless, the overall framework of the bill remains unchanged: according to AKP officials, the 11th Legislative Package aims to strengthen “public security and the fight against crime.” The package proposes prison sentences of up to 30 years for leaders of groups who involve children in criminal activity, and up to 7 years and 6 months for individuals who fire shots into the air in public spaces.

Although the withdrawal of the anti-LGBTQI+ clauses has been welcomed by a number of human rights organisations, observers caution that similar initiatives may resurface in the future.

Powered by Froala Editor