Turkey’s capital bans the gay film festival

LHBTG persons gaysHomosexuals in front of the rainbow flag. Ill. Photo:Pixabay

Turkish authorities have banned a German-language gay film festival to be released in Ankara on Thursday.

 

Local authorities have stated that the festival is stopped because of fear of hate crimes and terror.

According to plan, the festival organizer Pink Festival QueerFes was to show four German-directed films during the two-day festival. The event was supported by the German embassy.

On Wednesday, the governor’s office in Ankara stated that the festival is being banned because the content could cause hate and hostility. They also said that intelligence has considered that there is a danger that the event might be targeted by terror groups.

Pink Life QueerFest has criticized the ban and says it robs them of their constitutional rights.

“By assessing the risk of a terrorist attack, and allowing the prohibition of this festival, is just contributing to the beliefs of such people and institutions that sees our existence as a threat, and that provokes hate speech against us,” the festival organizers say.

 

©  NTB Scanpix / Norway Today