Journalist and LGBT+ Rights Defender Yıldız Tar Arrested

“The imprisonment of a journalist advocating for LGBT+ rights is an attempt to intimidate the entire LGBT+ movement, independent media, and the struggle for human rights.”

Journalist and LGBT+ rights defender Yıldız Tar has been arrested.

Journalist and editor-in-chief of Kaos GL newspaper Yıldız Tar, who was detained during house raids conducted on the morning of June 23 as part of an investigation by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, was formally arrested by the magistrates’ court to which they were referred with a request for arrest.

Among the 103 people arrested in the investigation, publicly known as the “NATO operation,” are Associate Professor Emel Memiş from Ankara University’s Faculty of Political Science, Burcu Arıkan, one of the spokespersons for Umut-Sen, and Hediye Yıldırım, a member of the general board of directors of Halkevleri.

According to Kaos GL, Tar was not asked any questions about NATO during the interrogation. Instead, they were asked about the government’s policies regarding the “Year of the Family” program announced for 2025.

The prosecutor’s request for arrest included the allegation that the suspects “may commit terrorist acts to turn Turkey into a country associated with terrorism.”

DİSK Press and Print Workers’ Union: We will strengthen solidarity

The Turkish Press, Publishing, and Print Workers’ Union (DİSK Basın-İş) made the following statement regarding Tar’s arrest:

“We do not approve of the arrests of dozens of people, including journalist and Kaos GL editor-in-chief Yıldız Tar, who were detained during operations conducted ahead of the NATO summit. The fact that our colleague was questioned during the interrogation about the government’s policies within the framework of the ‘Year of the Family’ program is clear evidence that this process is politically motivated.”

“We will continue our solidarity more resolutely and organizationally in the fight against attempts to criminalize journalistic activities and statements within the framework of freedom of thought and expression, as well as against attempts to silence dissidents through the judicial system. Yıldız Tar is a journalist; journalism is not a crime!”

LGBT+ Associations: Yıldız Tar is not just a journalist

Fifteen LGBT+ associations in Turkey also issued a joint statement following Tar’s arrest, stating that this decision has become “a new link in the chain of political repression that has long targeted human rights defenders, journalists, the feminist movement, the LGBT+ movement, and the democratic opposition,” and summarized their position as follows:

“Yıldız Tar is not just a journalist. For years, they have been involved in defending human rights by documenting hate crimes, exposing discrimination, documenting human rights violations suffered by LGBTQ+ individuals, and informing the public. Their arrest means not only the deprivation of personal liberty. This decision carries a political message aimed at suppressing independent journalism, covering up human rights violations, and depriving the public of the right to information.”

“In a country where journalists are punished, society cannot uncover the truth. In a country where human rights defenders face persecution, one cannot speak of equality and democracy. The imprisonment of a journalist defending LGBT+ rights is not just an attack on one person, but an intimidation tactic directed against the entire LGBT+ movement, independent media, and the struggle for human rights. But we know that the truth cannot be imprisoned. Solidarity cannot be criminalized. The struggle for human rights cannot be silenced by court decisions.”

We, the undersigned organizations:

• Demand the immediate release of Yıldız Tar.
• Demand an end to the illegal practices that serve as grounds for detentions and arrests.
• Demand an end to the criminalization of journalistic activities, human rights activism, and efforts to organize democratic movements.
• Demand guaranteed freedom of expression, freedom of the press, and the right to association.

“We will continue to strengthen solidarity in the struggle against repressive policies targeting journalists, human rights defenders, feminists, lawyers, academics, trade unions, labor organizations, and the democratic opposition. Because we know that today’s encroachment on Yıldız Tar’s freedom is an encroachment on all our fundamental rights and freedoms. Yıldız Tar is not alone. Journalism is not a crime. Defending LGBT+ rights is not a crime. Defending human rights is not a crime. Yıldız Tar must be released immediately!”