14/09/2023 | Writer: Defne Güzel
Targeting doctors, detention of OnlyFans users, house sealing, at least three murders, assault against a trans woman with a fire extinguisher…
Elections have been completed, however targeting LGBTI+s hasn’t come to an end. Concert bans, house sealings and targeting physicians were on the agenda in August.
“TTB complained to Press Council about the newspapers targeting medical doctors”
Targeting reflected in the press in August were as follows:
- Metin Külünk took action after the Hull City football team owned by Acun Ilıcalı, celebrated the pride month.
- New Welfare Party President Fatih Erbakan goes on to target LGBTI+s after the elections as well. Erbakan used “LGBT lobby” in Muğla and said “LGBT project” within the scope of the meeting, in which he gathered with some formations such as Süresiz Nafaka Mağdurları Derneği (Victims of Indefinite Alimony Association), İmar Yasasına Takılanlar Derneği (Victims of Zoning Law Association), Başıboş Sokak Hayvanları Derneği (Street Animals Association).
- Targeting continued on the front of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) as well. Hamza Dağ used the expression “LGBT heresy” and Bahadır Yenişehirlioğlu described the LGBTI+ organization as “the organizations that are used by so-called LGBT society as a dynamite”.
- The Future Party President Ahmet Davutoğlu staked a claim on the news articles pointing LGBTI+s as a target published by Yeni Şafak and Aydınlık newspapers.
- Nationalist Movement Party (MHP)-led Feti Yıldız said: “We are going to put a ban on sex reassignment surgeries as soon as the Parliament begins its new legislative term.”
- Yeni Şafak newspaper went on targeting by pointing out the studies of Muamma LGBTI+ Association. Yeni Şafak newspaper, which is also known for targeting activists, pointed activist Semih Özkarakaş as a target in August.
- Great Family Platform stepped into arts as well. They targeted LGBTI+s, LGBTI+ artists and the artists who support LGBTI+ rights by calling their performance “socio-cultural terror”. It was noteworthy that the artists who signed the declaration were not well-known.
- Clinical psychologist Fatime Erçağ and Nevzat Tarhan caused a scandal with their statements. The former by saying “Lobbies are cunning by imposing exceptions” and Tarhan by saying “It has been scientifically proven that there are no genes other than male and female genes.”
- The most resonant and reactionary targeting was against medical doctors in August. Targeting physicians working at İstanbul University Faculty of Medicine who wrote an article and published it in a peer-reviewed international journal, has a broad repercussion in press. Moreover a criminal complaint was filed against the physicians. Some organizations such as İstanbul Medical Chamber, Psychiatric Association of Turkey, Turkish Pediatric Association, Society for Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes took action in order to stand by the medical doctors. Media Ombudsman Faruk Bildirici also made evaluations on fake news. And Turkish Medical Association filed a complaint with the Press Council about the newspapers targeting physicians.
Concert bans have become a tradition
Bans on concerts have continued in August as well:
- Having been targeted on social media, Ahlat Municipality Mayor hastily deleted Hande Yener’s concert announcements from their website. Singer Gökçe’s concerts in Sandıklı and in Hayrabolu were cancelled due to her support for LGBTI+ rights.
- Samsun Governorship cancelled Murat Övüç’s women’s matinee program due to “being contrary to national and moral values”.
“They sprayed a trans woman with a fire extinguisher at a bus stop.”
Other violation of rights witnessed in August were as follows:
- OnlyFans users, who were handing out money on the streets of Taksim were detained.
- Trans sex workers’ houses were sealed in Taksim.
- It has emerged that Turkey will not broadcast the film Red, White & Royal Blue, which tells the story of two gay characters.
- In the case of the murder in Fatih, a person named Sitrak Kaplan said that he had killed Celal H. “to prevent their sexual relations from being found out”.
- Her ex-boyfriend killed Derin S., who lived in Ankara, on the night between 6 and 7 August.
- A person named M.A. said that he killed C.S. because “they had sex” within the scope of the incident experienced in İzmir.
- Seven people have been remanded in custody after they sprayed a trans woman with a fire extinguisher at a bus stop in Bursa. The defendants said “We did it for fun” in their statement.
- A male-female couple attacked two trans women in İstanbul. The attackers harassed and beat the trans women. Transphobia also went on in the crime scene report. Trans women were described in the crime scene report as a “female-looking male person”.
- The İstanbul Pride Week Committee updated the situation of people kept at removal centers.
- There were also violation of rights according to the findings of the reports launched by rights-based organizations:
- The Media and Law Studies Association published a report on LGBTI+ journalists and the Red Umbrella Association published a report on Syrian sex workers. And the Pink Life LGBTI+ Solidarity Association published their reports on the provision of legal advice and earthquake zone.
You can also report hate crimes that you have experienced or witnessed as a person or an organization.
Translation: Selma Koçak
Tags: human rights
