17 MAYIS DERNEĞİ
Founded on 2 September 2019 in Ankara, 17 Mayıs Derneği (May 17 Association) aims to strengthen the LGBTQI+ community and its activism. The association combats discriminatory practices based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression. They carry out scientific, cultural, social, pedagogical, and art activities, and conduct social work, advocacy, awareness-raising, human rights monitoring, and reporting activities to work towards a fair and free society. The association also strengthens the connections and networks of LGBTQI+ persons which have been weakened in an increasingly repressive context for LGBTQI+ rights in Türkiye, including bans on LGBTQI+ events.
Human rights defenders (HRDs) in Türkiye have been subjected to judicial harassment, including criminal prosecution, violent attacks, threats, surveillance, prolonged arbitrary detention, and ill-treatment. In the aftermath of an attempted coup in July 2016, the environment for the work of HRDs deteriorated even further.
