Gay Syrian man beheaded and mutilated in Turkey

Mr Sankari's body was horribly mutilated, friends told a gay rights group

The headless, mutilated body of a gay Syrian man has been identified by gay housemates in Istanbul who say he had been gang-raped previously.

The friends of Muhammad Wisam Sankari told a Turkish gay rights group, kaosgl.org, that they had been threatened by violent male gangs. "I am so scared," one of them said.

Turkish police broke up an LGBT rally in Istanbul in June

Mr Sankari, a refugee, arrived in Istanbul a year ago. His body was found in Yenikapi, a central district, on 25 July. No arrests have been made. Kaosgl.org reported that Mr Sankari had been trying to get to another country as a refugee because his life was in danger.


One of his housemates, called Rayan, said a male group had kidnapped Mr Sankari about five months ago, beaten him up and raped him. "We complained to the police headquarters but nothing happened," he said.

Another of Mr Sankari's friends, Diya, said the United Nations was also failing to protect the gay community in Turkey.
"I get threats over the phone... It does not matter if you are Syrian or Turkish, if you are gay you are everyone's target. They want sex from you and when you don't they just tag along... Who is next?" Diya said.

In June, Turkish police fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse gay activists who tried to hold an LGBT rally in Istanbul, despite a ban on the Gay Pride parade.

Unlike in many Arab countries, homosexuality is not illegal in Turkey but analysts say homophobia remains widespread.