While the world and Turkey are struggling with the COVID-19 outbreak; On Friday (April 24th), the Directorate of Religious Affairs Administration targeted LGBTI+s and the people living with HIV at Friday’s khutbah. Religious Affairs Chairperson Ali Erbaş spread hatred and discrimination by the khutbah issued by him, titled "Ramadan: Patience and Will Training".
This khutbah of hate issued by the Religious Affairs Administration coincided with the first day of Ramadan. The Religious Affairs Administration, which launched a smear campaign against LGBTI+'s after the Pride Week in 2019, has taken a step up this time by the khutbah of hate:
“People! Islam accepts adultery as one of the greatest harams. It curses the people of Lot, the homosexuality. What is the wisdom of this? The wisdom here is that it brings diseases and degenerates the generation. Hundreds of thousands of people a year are exposed to the HIV virus caused by this great haram, which passes as adultery in the Islamic Literature. Let's come and fight together to protect people from this kind of evil."
Erbaş also blamed homosexuals for the coronavirus outbreak.
CHP and HDP representatives condemned the chairperson
Republican People's Party (CHP) Deputy Chairperson Gökçe Gökçen was one of the persons that responded. She said, “Being unaware of how many people would be targeted because of such a statement during the epidemic period is a disaster by itself. I condemn those who do this by using religious feelings and rhetoric that almost justifies hate crimes” from her social media account.
HDP Ankara Deputy Filiz Kerestecioğlu reacted to the khutbah of hatred, she said "This is a hate crime" and added:
"Religious Affairs Administration issued a khutbah on Friday. It's about LGBTI and adultery. It was a khutbah of hate. In fact, he was confusing people with such a perception; Because while we deal with another virus, he talks about the HIV virus, and at the same time he targets these people as if they are guilty. It is a hate crime to target people and broadcasting such a khutbah in a time of need for solidarity. Ankara Branch of the Human Rights Association has filed a criminal complaint on the issue."
Another name from HDP to take a stance against the khutbah of hate was the Serpil Kemalbay, the Deputy of İzmir. Kemalbay stated the following from her social media account: "#Youcan'tprotect Moreover, by spreading hate speech, you are making LGBT+'s and those living with HIV targets. In the days of the corona, the Directorate of Religious Affairs Administration should stop evaporating the right to life with discriminatory rhetoric."
CHP Spokesman Faik Öztrak made the following statement at today's (April 27) press conference upon receiving a questşon, "The faithful people have the right to express their beliefs. But while using that right, they must refrain from creating enemies, using hate language over someone's lifestyle.
Human Rights Association filed a criminal complaint
The Ankara Branch of the Human Rights Association (IHD) filed a criminal complaint against Ali Erbaş, the Head of Religious Affairs Administration, after the khutbah of hate. IHD Ankara said, "To prevent hate crimes, discrimination, gender inequality is the duty of the state. We are filing criminal charges against Ali Erbaş, the Head of Religious Affairs Administration, who has clearly committed crimes, and we call on all the related institutions to do their duty to initiate an investigation while removing him from his post as Head of Religious Affairs Administration."
In addition to the IHD Ankara Branch, several human rights and non-governmental organizations have issued statements condemning the sermon of hate.