17/03/2022 | Writer: Selma Koçak
Kaos GL replied to the request of TİHEK, related to human rights violations and reminded them of the anti-LGBTI+ applications of the institution.
Human Rights and Equality Institution of Türkiye (TİHEK) which is well-known with its anti-LGBTI+ policies, wrote a letter to the right organizations, including Kaos GL, and requested to obtain information about the violation of rights reported by them.
Replying the annual report of the institution and remarking violation of human rights of LGBTI+s, of which TİHEK is one of the perpetrators, Kaos GL, reminded that there was not a participatory process conducted from the very beginning, by writing a letter to the institution.
Kaos GL indicated that the law of establishment is vacated at the response to TİHEK and continued as follows:
“While legislative amendment, which requires moving away from the widespread and general opinion of civil society that the organizational structure of your institution is not in line with universal standards, is out of question, changing our position, as if the conditions and motives had changed, would be denying ourselves as you would appreciate.”
“You construct the hierarchy directly”
Addressing the new head of board of TİHEK, Kaos GL also reminded the anti-LGBTI+ policies of the institution over the years:
“TİHEK refuses to study on sexual orientation and gender identity based discrimination as a category, despite being a counterparty of the international and local agreements which includes norms prohibiting discrimination and despite the Article 10 of Constitution which guarantees equality of all before the law, and disregards the applications made by LGBTI+s or their legal representatives categorically, along its seven-year institutional history.
It is admitted that it is not possible to approach fundamental rights hierarchically; and the issue that rights are universal and considered as a whole a priori in terms of human rights law. However you construct the hierarchy directly by refusing the applications of LGBTI+s and by maintaining an attitude that approves discrimination between the discrimination forms in the judicial process conducted against the decisions you reject.”
The statements of TİHEK are quite up-to-date in the memory of LGBTI+ community
Kaos GL, underlined that they are observing the efforts of the current chair related to the image of the institution however there is no amelioration touching previous period.
“We are observing your efforts related to the image of your institution during your task duration as a chair. However the former chair of your institution had described homosexual relations as ‘aberrant relationships against human nature’ within the context of a presentation made at the Presidency of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, you have done nothing to rectify it till now. Likewise the former vice chair of your institution had declared: ‘What pride, what love? Love happens between two different sexes. Both the divine creation and nature say this. This is a regression. It’s regressing back from nature towards savagery.’ denoting homosexual relations as a comment under Amnesty International’s tweet at social media. Although you have not become a current issue with this kind of declarations until now, you have either not taken action regarding the change in your corporate attitude. The statements directed towards LGBTI+s are quite up-to date in the memory of LGBTI+ community.
On the other hand the announcements, statements and reports prepared by the institution constitute a narration as if LGBTI+s do not exist.”
Passing over “Human Rights of LGBTI+s 2021 Report” to TİHEK, Kaos GL completed the letter with statements: “We wish you more power to your studies with the longing for a country where your institution would able to be an independent organization in universal standards fighting against discrimination and struggling to provide equality.”
Tags: human rights
