23/05/2024 | Writer: Selma Koçak
“The Diyanet has allocated 2 million TL to organizing activities that many view as hate crimes. Under the pretext of protecting and strengthening the traditional family values endorsed by the government, this budget is directed at targeting different sexual identities and LGBTI+ individuals.”
Halide Türkoğlu, Spokesperson for the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) Women’s Assembly and Diyarbakır MP, held a press conference at the DEM Party Headquarters on 22 May. During the conference, Türkoğlu highlighted the pressing issues plaguing the country, including widespread lawlessness, injustice, corruption, violence and massacres against women, and conspiracy cases. She addressed various topics such as the plight of the Saturday Mothers, the Kobani case, the deficiencies in Turkey's justice system, and the pervasive sexist mentality rooted in male domination.
Türkoğlu also addressed the issue of the Presidency of Religious Affairs allocating 2 million TL to initiatives targeting the LGBTI+ community. She criticized this allocation, emphasizing that it exemplifies the misuse of resources to promote discrimination and hatred against sexual minorities:
“The Diyanet has once again issued a controversial fatwa, this time allocating 2 million TL to activities that many consider to be promoting hate crimes. Under the guise of protecting and strengthening the traditional family values endorsed by the government, this budget is being used to target and discriminate against different sexual identities, including LGBTI+ individuals.
The Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) has unveiled yet another controversial action plan. While remaining silent on child abuse, violence, and massacres against women in the country, the Diyanet continues to target women. In its newly announced 4-year strategic plan, the Diyanet has allocated 2 million TL to organizing activities that many view as hate crimes. Under the pretext of protecting and strengthening the traditional family values endorsed by the government, this budget is directed at targeting different sexual identities and LGBTI+ individuals.
This comes from a government already criticized for sexist, polarizing policies that exploit labor, impoverish the people, and foster societal corruption through its governance and special war policies. For 22 years, this government has been accused of exploiting women and young people physically, mentally, and politically. Yet, the Diyanet continues to issue hate fatwas.
We, the women, will not stop fighting against policies that fuel hate crimes in this country. We will never accept this attack on our right to life. Instead of promoting hate crimes, the Diyanet should cease targeting women with enemy laws and issuing hate crime fatwas. It must first account for its luxurious expenditures, which rob the people of their livelihood, and the rights and future of children, women, and young people.”
Tags: human rights
