ES News email The latest headlines in your inbox twice a day Monday - Friday plus breaking news updates Enter your email address Continue Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid You already have an account. Please log in Register with your social account or click here to log in I would like to receive lunchtime headlines Monday - Friday plus breaking news alerts, by email Update newsletter preferences

Turkish authorities have banned a German gay film festival the day before it was due to start, citing public safety concerns and threats of terrorism.

The Governor's office in Ankara announced its decision on Wednesday, pulling the plug on an event due to show four German films over the weekend.

A spokesman said: "Intelligence reports show that terror organisations are seeking to attack dissident groups, [and we believe] this film screening could be provocative."

Organisers Pink Life QueerFest said the decision risks "legitimising people and institutions" who wish to do harm to the LGBT community.

A Pink Life spokesman told Reuters: "Suggesting that these screenings could be provocative or targeted by terror groups only goes to legitimise those people and institutions that produce hate speech toward us and see our existence as a threat."

The ostensibly modern Turkish regime has failed to support gay rights. Although same-sex intercourse is not banned, public displays of affection are prohibited under "public morality" laws, and gay marriages are not recognised by the state.

Two gay pride parades have been banned in Istanbul in the last two years, with activists being hosed and shot with rubber bullets in the most recent attempted rally.

According to witnesses, police fired rubber bullets at Pride campaigners who marched to protest the cancellation on Sunday.

The last successful Pride march in Turkey took place in 2014, with an estimated 100,000 people turning out for one of the largest LGBT celebrations in a Muslim majority country.

Members of the LGBT community in the country frequently speak out over mistreatment including harassment, abuse and rape.

In 2016, Hande Kader, a 22-year-old transgender woman was mutilated, burnt and murdered in Istanbul. According to data from the rights group Transgender Europe, Turkey has the highest number of trans murders in Europe.