09/10/2024 | Writer: Kaos GL
Diyarbakır Bar Association LGBTI+ Commission members spoke to Evrim Deniz from bianet about the case of murdered trans woman Sudenaz.
Diyarbakır Bar Association LGBTI+ Commission Spokesperson, Lawyer Okan Altekin, and commission member, Lawyer Pelda Versek, discussed the rising violence against trans women in Diyarbakır with Evrim Deniz from bianet.
Lawyer Okan Altekin emphasized that anti-LGBTI+ propaganda fuels hate crimes, stating, “Such widespread and intense anti-LGBTI+ rhetoric evolves into outright hostility, resulting in one murder after another. And these are just the cases we know about. There are many LGBTI+ individuals who do not reach us, who are forced to hide their identity, face family conflicts, and are killed. LGBTI+ associations also point out that the growing anti-LGBTI+ policies have contributed to an increase in hate-related murders, and the data supports this.”
Referring to the murder of trans woman Sudenaz, Lawyer Okan Altekin stated:
“Sudenaz was attacked on 14 September and died on 15 September, the same day as the government-backed Big Family March. We have always maintained that such marches pave the way for the murder of LGBTI+ individuals. The institutions, organizations, and individuals who organize and participate in these marches are, in fact, obstructing the establishment of a dignified peace and should be held accountable in this context.”
“Both defendants are shifting the blame onto each other”
Lawyer Pelda Versek, who is following the case of Sudenaz, a trans woman murdered in Diyarbakır, highlighted that the perpetrators are seeking unjust provocation discount:
“Sudenaz’s family informed us of the murder and requested that we, as a commission, be involved in the case. Due to a restriction order, we haven’t been able to thoroughly examine the case file yet, but the perpetrators, Ali Aküzüm and İlyas Uçak, have been arrested and are currently in pre-trial detention. Both defendants are shifting blame onto each other and making various claims (such as ‘she owed us money’) to distort the facts and seek a reduction in their sentence. However, the testimony of the other trans woman who survived the attack disproves these claims. There was no transaction between them. The perpetrators came to the building with hatred, saying ‘trans people work and live here, they do bad things like this, this is a prostitution apartment,’ and this hatred culminated in the murder.”
Versek also highlighted the case of Simge, a trans woman who was attacked in her own home in Diyarbakır, emphasizing the deep trauma caused by such incidents:
“We will do our best to ensure that justice is served in the case of Sudenaz and her friend, and that the defendants are punished without receiving any discounts. The other trans woman, who was attacked in her home, has been severely traumatized. Being attacked in a place they consider their safe space— their own home— leaves them deeply scarred, both physically and emotionally.”
What happened?
Two men have been arrested following the attack on two trans women in Diyarbakır’s Kayapınar district on 15 September. The violent assault left one of the victims, S.U., dead, while the other, identified as G., was injured.
After G. received medical treatment, she provided critical information to the police, which led to the detention of the two suspects, A.A. and İ.U. The men were subsequently arrested and charged after making statements to the authorities. G. also reported that the attackers looted the victims’ home during the incident. According to the information received from the Diyarbakır Bar Association LGBTI+ Rights Commission a restriction order has been placed on the case file. The prosecutor’s office is expected to complete the investigation and prepare an indictment soon. In a separate statement shared on social media, the Diyarbakır Bar Association LGBTI+ Rights Commission emphasized: “We will continue our struggle against hate murders,” underscoring their ongoing fight against violence targeting the LGBTI+ community.
Tags: human rights, women
