Defne Güzel

Defne Güzel is a Turkish human rights activist. A transgender woman, she is known for her advocacy and defence of LGBTQ people in Turkey, as well as people living with HIV and AIDS.

Activism Güzel is from Ankara. She is the chairperson of 17 Mayıs Derneği , which monitors and documents LGBTQ rights violations in Turkey, in addition to addressing issues of hate crimes and discrimination against LGBTQ people. Güzel is also the human rights expert and advocacy coordinator for KAOS GL's human rights programme. Güzel founded Pozitif Alan , which defends the rights of people living with HIV and AIDS.

Güzel has volunteered with various Turkish human rights organisations, including the Human Rights Association, Red Umbrella, and the Women's Platform for Equality (EŞİK).

The Directorate of Relations ignored the ruling of the panel, and on 20 January 2026 filed a criminal complaint against Güzel in her role as chairperson of 17 Mayıs Derneği for violating the law on association and disrupting the "mental, moral, psychological and social development" of people. The evidence included two publications made by 17 Mayıs Derneği, including #BenimİnterseksHikayem , a Turkish-language translation of an Oll Europe book about the lived experiences of intersex people, and Çocuklar, Karacalar, Çiçekler, Ateşler , which included medical images of naked women. Güzel was accused of violating "public morality". A hearing was scheduled for 12 May 2026 at the Ankara 74th Criminal Court of First Instance.

Response Güzel's lawyer, Kerem Dikmen, stated the charges against her violated her right to freedom of association, and accused the charges being linked to the Turkish government's declaration of the "year of the family". They warned that the charges risked "criminalising" intersex people. The international organisation Front Line Defenders expressed "deep concern" at the charges against Güzel and stated it was part of repeated efforts by Turkish authorities to criminalise LGBTQ rights groups operating in Turkey; it called for the charges to be dropped.