OII Europe expresses its deep concern regarding a lawsuit that has been filed in Turkey against the Chair of 17 May Association, Defne Güzel, on charges of violating the Law on Associations, based on the Turkish translation of one OII Europe’s publications #MyIntersexStory, as well as an exhibition about the climate crisis entitled Children, Roe Deer, Flowers, Fires.
The indictment comes following a wave of inspections targeting LGBTI+ associations, including one first launched against the May 17 Association in 2024 by the Public Prosecutor’s Office. In July 2025, an expert report issued by a three-person panel found that there had been no violation of the Turkish Law on Associations. However, the course of events changed when the Prosecutor’s Office disregarded the expert report, following which the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office prepared an indictment on January 20, 2026, initiating judicial proceedings. The prosecution seeks a prison sentence of between one and three years and the first hearing of the case as set for May 12th at the Ankara Criminal Court of First Instance.
The indictment alleges that these publications contain “content of a nature that disrupts mental, moral, psychological, and social development beyond their intended purpose.” This is incredibly concerning, as the materials cited as criminal evidence include a testimonial book where intersex individuals recount their personal stories and lived experiences.
Essentially, this constitutes a direct attack against freedom of expression and intersex persons in Turkey. Intersex human rights advocacy is not a crime. The persecution of organisations, such as May 17 Association, as well as activists and ordinary citizens who are all an integral part of the struggle for justice and equality and play an instrumental role in fostering public support for the intersex and LGBTIQ rights movement in Turkey, constitutes a direct attack on democracy and human rights as a whole. May 17 Association provides critical, life-saving financially accessible/free psychological support to LGBTI+ people in Turkey. An attack on May 17 Association therefore constitutes a direct attack on the wellbeing and safety of the LGBTI community as a whole.
Turkey is a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights, the newly adopted Committee of Ministers Recommendation on Equal Rights for Intersex Persons (CM/Rec(2025)7) as well as numerous existing international commitments. We therefore urgently call on the Council of Europe, the European Union, and international human rights bodies and organisations to take a strong stance against this censorship.
As OII Europe, we stand in solidarity with Defne Güzel, May 17 Association, all intersex people in Turkey as well as the LGBTI+ community in Turkey. Intersex rights are human rights, and there can be no compromise on these rights!
