Hundreds of Turks made a rare protest for LGBT rights in Istanbul Sunday after the murder of Turkish transgender icon Hande Kader, whose body was found burned in a forest earlier this month. Photo by Hande Kader/Facebook

ISTANBUL, Turkey, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- More than 200 Turks protested peacefully in the streets of Istanbul on Sunday after the murder of well-known transgender woman, Hande Kader.

The body of Kader, 23, an LGBT activist and sex worker, was found burned in a forest Aug. 8 after she went missing in July. Kader's murder drew enough attention that even a few MPs attended the protest, a rare show of support for LGBT rights in the conservative country.


Kader became famous after putting herself in front of riot police and water cannons during a gay pride parade in Istanbul in June.

She was last seen getting in the car of a client in Istanbul in late July, the Turkish newspaper Sabah has reported.

Police have not announced a motive or made any arrests in the case.