09/12/2015 | Writer: Daniel Metz

LGBTI High Schoolers, Pink Life and Kaos GL’s press statements have drawn attention to recent transphobic hate crimes and called for the government to immediately make necessary legal regulations.

Hate crimes in Istanbul were protested in Ankara Kaos GL - News Portal for LGBTI+

LGBTI High Schoolers, Pink Life and Kaos GL’s press statements have drawn attention to recent transphobic hate crimes and called for the government to immediately make necessary legal regulations.

With the appeals of LGBTI High Schoolers, Pink Life and Kaos GL a press statement was made in Ankara for Alev, a trans woman who was killed in Istanbul,

A group of LGBTI activists who gathered at 6:30 p.m. in front of the Human Rights Statue on Yüksel Avenue condemned Alev’s murder and hate crimes directed at trans people. Young trans activist from LGBTI High Schoolers, Arjin Deniz, read a press statement to the crowd.

“Just in the last 10 days in Istanbul and Ankara, four consecutive hate crimes aimed at trans individuals have materialized. Two trans women have lost their lives,” Deniz said, drawing attention to the increase in hate crimes. Deniz stated that they will follow Alev’s case, who was stabbed at around 8:30 p.m. on December 2 on the street that she worked.

“Turkey ranks number one for transphobic hate crimes in Europe”

Deniz announced that the hate, discrimination and isolation that trans individuals face at home, at their places of work, on the streets, in their educational lives, in government institutions and in their daily lives will continue in a systematic manner. “As the state ignores the identity of trans people, it leads to their rights being deprived. Ignoring the attacks that trans people suffer is a political attitude. Because of this, we gathered today to say that at the same time, trans murders are political,” Deniz said.

Deniz criticized the positions of the law enforcement and judiciary in the face of hate crimes. “Even when Turkey ranks number one for transphobic hate crimes in Europe, in the event that a trans person is murdered, the police are not conducting active investigations, in these murders, which are processed with the hateful motives of the judiciary, the murderers are in fact being rewarded as the abatement of ‘unjust provocation’ is implemented,” said Deniz.

Deniz stated that LGBTI organizations will not stay silent in the face of these attacks, that they will advance the struggle against transphobia and that they will not forget the trans individuals who were killed.

Deniz called on judicial and legislative powers to do their duty in the face of transphobia. “We are calling all institutions and legislative bodies of the government of the Turkish Republic to not turn a blind eye to the killings of trans people, gay individuals and women and to immediately implement the necessary laws and preventive measures,” Deniz said, ending the speech.

After the speech the crowd chanted, “We will tear down the transphobic state,” “Sex workers’ rights are human rights,” “To hell with your morals,” and “Hate crimes are political,” and protested transphobia with applause, whistling and bellows.


Tags: human rights
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