Turkish gay fashion designer receives bloody nose in Istanbul attack

Gay rights activists in Turkey have condemned the attack on gay fashion designer Barbaros Şansal.

It happened Thursday evening (27 December) in the Turkish city of Istanbul.

Mr Şansal posted pictures of his injuries on Twitter.

He tweeted: “I was threatened and attacked due to political reasons at 04:50 am in Taksim Ayaspaşa. Dark brains, you will pay a heavy price for this. They told me that I will pay for my writings and statements with my life. I am only a soul but what will millions say?”

Mr Şansal defended gay rights a few weeks ago in an interview he gave to Turkey’s Sözcü newspaper.

He also said in the same interview that he was tortured and raped by police during the 1980 coup period in Turkey.

According to Amnesty International, the rights of LGBT people remain unsecured in Turkish law.

Gay men are still being regularly discharged from the country’s armed forces.

Minimal progress has also been made when it comes to preventing violence against women and transgender people.