21/08/2024 | Writer: Kaos GL
“The discrimination faced by LGBTI+ persons in prison is growing exponentially every day”
DEM Party Mardin MP Beritan Güneş submitted a parliamentary research motion to investigate the situation of elderly, sick, children, “ foreigner”, LGBTI+ and women prisoners who are subjected to rights violations in prisons.
In the research motion submitted by Güneş to the Presidency of the Parliament, it was demanded that a parliamentary research be conducted to eliminate discrimination and rights violations against elderly, sick, children, women, “ foreigner” and LGBTI+ prisoners.
In the justification of the research motion, it was stated that LGBTI+ prisoners are among the social groups most exposed to discrimination, violence, humiliation and abuse in prisons. Noting that the discrimination experienced by LGBTI+s in prisons has increased exponentially, the motion included the following statements:
“When we consider the discrimination and problems LGBTI+ persons face in Türkiye in general, it is not difficult to predict that the problems they will face in prisons will increase exponentially. There is no regulation in the national legislation for the special needs of LGBTI+ prisoners, and there is no program to train administrative staff and correctional officers on this issue. Women prisoners, on the other hand, face gender inequality in prisons many times more than they do “outside” because of their identity as women.”
Stating that LGBTI+ persons are subjected to intense violations of rights in prisons due to the increasing discriminatory policies and hate speech in Türkiye, the research motion said, “Unfortunately, the discrimination, violence and ill-treatment that LGBTI+ persons are exposed to in prisons is growing exponentially every day due to the lack of any work by the government to eliminate the violations of rights experienced by LGBTI+ persons, on the contrary, due to the policies aimed at entrenching hate speech in social life.”
Violations to which trans prisoner Avşa Erkuş was subjected were included in the motion
In the motion, the discrimination experienced by trans prisoner Avşa Erkuş in prison was mentioned with the following statements:
“Trans prisoner Avşa Erkuş was raped by a correctional officer named C. in Giresun E Type Penal Execution Institution in 2009. Although the officer was sentenced to imprisonment, Avşa was exiled to a prison in Tokat and this time she was beaten unconscious by C.'s “fellow officers”. Despite CCTV footage and hospital reports, Avşa's complaints were dismissed as “there is no need for prosecution”, Avşa went on hunger strike, lost 20 kilograms and was again exiled to another prison.”
The research motion in question emphasized that many social groups are subjected to various rights violations due to the fact that prisons in Turkey are designed for adult, healthy, young, heterosexual, men.
Noting that prisoners have special needs due to their unique situations such as nationality, ethnicity, race, age, gender, sexual orientation and gender identity, the motion stated that it is essential to establish a research commission in the Parliament.
Tags: human rights, women
