26/08/2014 | Writer: Ömer Akpınar
The Regional Network against Homophobia and Transphobia -baQlawa- presents the LGBT agenda of this summer from the Balkans, Caucasia, Middle East and North Africa.
As the heat of the summer has yet to come to an end, it’s good to know what baQlawa has been doing on sunny days. LGBT organizations from the Balkans, Caucasia, Middle East and North Africa that forms the baQlawa –the Regional Network against Homophobia and Transphobia– is delighted to give the multi-dimensional answer.
Celebrate!
The first NGO working for LGBT rights in Egypt, Bedayaa celebrated its 4th anniversary in July. As it was during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, a potential party turned into an iftar over the Nile.
In Azerbaijan, Nefes LGBT Alliance had its first LGBT and gender forum in July, as well. Held in Baku, the forum created a space to commemorate Isa Sahmarli, an LGBT activist who ended his life in January.
Azerbaijan’s first LGBT forum
Legal success and challenges
In June, Michelle Demishevich, a trans reporter in Turkey, won a court case about verbal and physical attack she faced. The perpetrator would pay 2000 TL (about 700 Euro) for the transphobic assault with the decision constituting a precedent. However, 7 trans women in the Turkish city of Mersin experienced police brutality in July.
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Michelle Demishevich
In Egypt, gay men were beaten up by the police. 2 gay men in Cairo were arrested and charged of prostitution. Bedayaa is working on the incident to document the police violence.
In Montenegro, LGBT Forum Progress finished a large project called “Strengthening of the judicial system” in June. As part of the project, three books were published as LGBT guidebooks for judges.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo Open Center (SOC) will organize an LGBT training for judges and prosecutors in September. SOC has already experience of giving trainings for police officers.
Family affair
The Croatian Parliament passed the Life Partnership Act for same-sex civil unions in July after it has changed the definition of marriage to be only between a man and a woman in December.
The Macedonian Parliament gave green light to defining marriage as a union only between a man and a woman in July, as well. The proposed constitutional amendments will also render extramarital cohabitation impossible for same-sex couples.
Athens Pride protested the Greek law on civil unions that exclude same-sex couples, despite the ECHR ruling that the law violates
the European Convention of Human Rights. Organized in June for the 10th time, the theme of this year’s Athens Pride was “Family Affair”.
The poster for the 10th Athens Pride
Loud and proud!
Thinking that equal marriage is overrated? LGBTQ activists in Croatia made a flash mob with an inflated rainbow during a swimming marathon in the island of Vis in August. The activists emphasized the challenges faced beyond marriage and in places other than big cities.
The 12th Istanbul Pride took place in June with thousands of participants marching with banners in Turkish, Kurdish and Armenian. Held for the first time during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, Istanbul Pride stood up against homophobia and transphobia as well as the prevalent assumption that Islam and LGBTI people are mutually exclusive.
The 12th Istanbul Pride
As the Israeli government attacks Palestinian people, the Jewish-Israeli LGBT community is divided between supporters of the massacre and opposition. Some pride events and parades were canceled or postponed because of the attack, including Al-Quds/Jerusalem pride march and Bir-al-Saba3/Be’er-Sheva pride event.
Belgrade Pride was postponed until September as floods hit Serbia in May. Banned for three times in a line, Belgrade Pride is of a great importance for Serbian LGBT people to exercise their democratic rights.
Tags: life
