Büşra Genel
The first hearing in the compensation case filed by lawyer Hayriye Kara—who was detained during the 23rd Istanbul LGBTI+ Pride March and subjected to unlawful detention and ill-treatment—was held at the Ankara 14th High Criminal Court.
The first hearing in the compensation case filed by lawyer Hayriye Kara, who also serves as the Coordinator of the Refugee Rights Program at Kaos GL, was held at the Ankara 14th High Criminal Court. The hearing began at 10:45 a.m. following the arrival of Kara and her legal team in the courtroom.
The hearing was monitored by representatives from the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA), the Revolutionary Socialist Workers' Party (DSİP), GALADER, 17 May Association, UniKuir, the Women’s Rights Center of the Ankara Bar Association, the LGBTI+ Rights Center of the Ankara Bar Association, the Center for Social Litigation and Legal Research of the Ankara Bar Association, the Human Rights Joint Platform (İHOP), ESHİD, AKGD, Murat Çekiç Association, the Embassies of the Netherlands, France, and the United Kingdom.
“We were left waiting for hours in reverse handcuffs without being provided with water”
When the court panel granted her the floor, Hayriye Kara said that during the detention process she was unlawfully held for hours and subjected to reverse handcuffing.
Kara continued her statement as follows:
“During the march, we were searched by police officers and our phones were confiscated. Even though we stated that this was unlawful, we were left waiting in the police vehicle for hours. It was June and it was hot. We were not given water. On the way to the hospital, we were put in reverse handcuffs and had to wait like that until the medical examinations were completed.
I was supposed to attend a conference in Mexico. However, due to the travel ban imposed on me, I could not participate. I missed the conference and was unable to benefit from the scholarship granted to me.
People exercising their constitutional rights were forcibly detained. That’s exactly why I was there; I, too, was performing a public duty. As a result of the unlawful intervention I was subjected to, I suffered damage. I demand compensation for both material and moral damages.”
Kara’s lawyer, Kerem Dikmen, stated that as his client explained in her statement, she suffered material and moral damages, and was subjected to an unlawful and undocumented detention process. For this reason, he said, they are demanding compensation.
The court panel postponed the next hearing to May 6, 2026, at 11:30 a.m. in order to allow for the witness hearing requests to be fulfilled.
What happened?
On June 29, 2025, despite attending the Istanbul LGBTI+ Pride March in her capacity as a lawyer, Hayriye Kara was detained by police. Along with other lawyers, Kara was subjected to ill-treatment, and their ability to perform their professional duties was obstructed.
Following the incident, Kara filed a criminal complaint and initiated a compensation lawsuit. The first hearing of the compensation case, which concerns unlawful detention, ill-treatment, and an unjust judicial control measure, was held at the Ankara 14th High Criminal Court.
