Students from Boğaziçi University continue to protest against the trustee appointed as a rector to their university. As part of the protests, which have been continuing since the beginning of January, students are organising various events and actions, including art exhibitions, at the south campus of the university.
After being targeted by some Twitter accounts and pro-government media platforms, four students were taken into custody for sticking LGBTI+ flags near a picture of the Kaaba building as part of an exhibition on the campus.
Turkey’s Ministry of Interior Suleyman Soylu posted a tweet saying, “Two LGBT deviants who committed the disrespectful act against the Kaaba at Boğaziçi University have been detained!”
Boğaziçi Üniversitesi’nde Kabe-i Muazzama’ya yapılan saygısızlığı gerçekleştiren 4 LGBT sapkını gözaltına alındı!
— Süleyman Soylu | Maske😷 Mesafe↔️ Temizlik🧼 (@suleymansoylu) January 29, 2021
While two of the students from Boğaziçi were arrested by the court with the allegation of “inciting the public to hatred and enmity and public humiliation”, two students were released under the condition of “judicial control not to leave their home”.
The court’s decision caused public outrage and led to a Twitter campaign with the hashtag #LGBTIHaklarıİnsanHaklarıdır.
#LGBTİHaklarıİnsanHaklarıdır
Bu ülke, gericiliğinize teslim olmayacak. pic.twitter.com/yTbxnKTdiK— Barış Atay (@barisatay) January 30, 2021
Following the decision, video footage of the students was shared on Twitter in which they reassure viewers and call for solidarity.
Tutuklanan arkadaşlarımızdan mesaj var, sizleri orada bırakmayacağız, ÖZGÜRLÜK İSTİYORUZ #BogaziciSusmayacak #BogaziciTeslimOlmayacak pic.twitter.com/PUjpmIOPpF
— boğaziçihukuk (@boaziihukuk1) January 30, 2021
