Man arrested for ‘looking gay’ and wearing crop top in Turkey imprisoned for 3 weeks
Miguel Alvaro had no choice but to wear the outfit he was wearing when he was arrested - a short crop top - while in prison
By Dale Fox
A Portuguese man claims he was arrested and detained for nearly three weeks in Turkey while on holiday there as he “looked gay”.
Miguel Alvaro, 34, told Portuguese outlet P3 he asked police officers in Istanbul for directions when one ordered his immediate arrest.
He alleges officers threw him against a van, hit him, and accused him of intending to join an unsanctioned LGBTQ+ Pride march occurring nearby.
He claims that he was seated in a police van for several hours while officers rounded up people who were taking part in the march. After they were all taken to a police station, officers commented: “‘Why are these faggots here?’, while laughing at us – it was like we didn’t exist,” Alvaro said.
Over 20 days, Alvaro described horrific prison conditions including cells with maggots, a lack of food and water, and threats of violence from fellow inmates. He says he couldn’t contact anyone and officials ignored assistance requests from the Portuguese embassy.
He added that he had no choice but to wear the outfit he was wearing when he was arrested – a short crop top – the whole time.
“One of them hit me in the ribs”
Describing the abuse, he said (as per LBC): “They grabbed my arms and I tried to free myself. One of them hit me in the ribs. They pushed me against a van, they hit me on the shoulder, which started to bleed.”
Eventually Alvaro’s father was able to reach him and advocate for his release on 12 July. Back in Portugal, Alvaro used social media to share his story and warn against visiting Turkey. He conveyed being in a poor psychological state but hopes justice will be served.
Turkish authorities have made no public comments confirming or denying Alvaro’s detailed allegations.
Turkey ranks low in LGBTQ+ rights
Turkey’s track record on LGBTQ+ rights remains problematic despite certain legal advancements. Although homosexuality is decriminalised, LGBTQ+ individuals encounter pervasive discrimination and insufficient legal safeguards.
Since 2015, authorities have prohibited public Pride events across the country, citing security reasons. The government often employs moral justifications to curtail LGBTQ+ freedoms, perpetuating discrimination and enabling mistreatment by law enforcement. Hate speech against LGBTQ individuals from officials is also a prevalent issue.
According to the 2022 ILGA ranking of LGBTQ rights protections in 49 European countries, Turkey stood in 45th place, indicating significant room for improvement.