08/04/2023 | Writer: Defne Güzel
The attack against LGBTI+s at Newroz festival, ban on everything that includes LGBTI and lynch attempt against Selin Ciğerci left their mark in March.
Nowadays, when the election atmosphere is rising daily in Turkey, the violation of rights against LGBTI+s in March, although the violation of rights against LGBTI+s covered relatively less in the media due to the earthquake agenda, revealed how deep discrimination and hatred against LGBTI+s are, once again.
As it is known, election seasons mark a critical period regarding fundamental rights. However, discrimination, hate speech and hateful attitude against LGBTI+s has become election advertising. Direnişin Renkleri İzmir (Colors of Resistance) aimed to draw attention to discrimination against earthquake survivors LGBTI+s despite all the odds. On the other side Social Policy, Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Studies Association (SPoD) gave a start to the election campaign by saying “We address political parties and alliances: We don’t rely on you, we keep our eyes on you!” March also brought human rights reports, protests, solidarity and the demand for freedom in its train and proved that LGBTI+ rights reached the back bottom.
Violation of rights against LGBTI+s in March were as follows:
Selin Ciğerci was subjected to attack and lynch attempt by a transphobic group in Konya, during the opening of her beauty center. Following the attack, underlining that “she struggled to do her best in order to protect people next to her” Ciğerci concluded her remarks by saying “I believe that love and tolerance will make the world beautiful” within the context of the statement she made. Federation of Women’s Associations of Turkey and LGBTI+ organizations didn’t leave Selin Ciğerci alone after the attack.
· Social Work Day panel, for which Ankara LGBTI+ Earthquake Solidarity was also invited, was blocked by Kocaeli University. The panel discussion was completed as an online meeting. On the other side, Education and Science Laborers Union (Eğitim-Sen) and Turkish Association of Social Workers (SHU-DER) told the incidents by making a joint statement and said: “Despite hate, we will build an equal and free world altogether, we will not give up on each other.”
· A group of men attacked LGBTI+s and those who stood by them, they drew out a knife, tore rainbow flags and stomped on them. It is also essential to remind that LGBTI+ activists have been subjected to attacks at Newroz for four years. . Following the attack, Diyarbakır Bar Association, Human Rights Association (İHD) Amed Branch and Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) Amed Branch made statements regarding the attacks and condemned them. Diyarbakır Bar Association and Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) Amed Branch underlined that they would “be the follower of the judicial process against these attacks, which don’t befit the spirit of Newroz.” LGBTI+ activists in Ankara also made a joint statement regarding the attack. Some other statements from Diyarbakır Bar Association LGBTI+ Commission, Cultural Research Center for Peace and Keskesor LGBTI+ Initiative also reflected in the press. Finally Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) İstanbul MP Züleyha Gülüm announced that they condemned the attack and said “We don’t admit the attack and violence targeting LGBTI+s.”
· In addition to such violations like lynch attempts, event bans and physical attacks, another unlawful act was experienced at Tekirdağ Prison no. 2. It was reflected in the press that trans woman Buse Aydın’s petition regarding the demand to transfer Bakırköy and Gebze prisons has not been responded for three months and Buse is in a male prison despite being a woman.
· Earlier on March 8 Feminist Night March, Beyoğlu District Governorship put a ban on the march. Police barricades were built in Taksim and neighborhood, however protestors passed over the barricades and held the protest forcefully. The banner written “We are angry, we are in rage, we are in feminist revolt against capitalist destruction” on was unfurled. And hundreds of feminists marched through Kıbrıs Şehitleri Street by chanting slogans and unfurling banners in İzmir. Following the march, candles were lit in front of Türkan Saylan Cultural Center for those, who lost their lives in the earthquake. Feminists also marched in Mersin with the slogan “Feminists will hold you to account for the destruction created by you.” Feminists in Ankara, took the street with the banner “Our rebellion exceeds our mourning, women’s solidarity keeps us alive.”
Attacks against women and LGBTI+ rights have become an election promise due to upcoming elections. On the other side some positive developments regarding LGBTI+ rights and demands for equality and freedom also received wide media coverage:
· Justice and Development Party (AKP) and New Welfare Party (YRP) signed a protocol against LGBTI+s and their rights. The text of the protocol read “We will focus our attention on the legal regulations regarding the prevention of acts and perversions against our moral values.” Temel Karamollaoğlu, Chair of Saadet Party which is a member of the main opposition coalition Nation’s Alliance, also made statement against LGBTI+s. On the other hand Woman Party; filed a criminal complaint against the demands proposed by Free Cause Party (HÜDA-PAR) and YRP stating that “the requests constitute a crime in the eye of the law”.
· Some actions regarding the political participation of LGBTI+s were conducted by Workers’ Party of Turkey (TİP). LGBTI+ activists Esmeray and Niler Albayrak have become candidate for parliamentary nomination from TİP. İrfan Değirmenci, who İrfan Değirmenci, who announced his candidacy for parliamentary nomination from TİP said “History will write LGBTI+s” during his party meeting held to prepare for general elections, in Ankara.
- Green Left Party announced that they would struggle against hate murders within the scope of their election manifesto. Green Left Party candidate for parliamentary nomination Semyani Perizade, a bisexual Kurdish woman artist, made a call for solidarity against the hate speech she was subjected to on social media, by saying “So what, prostitutes can’t engage with politics?”
As for the course of the cases, we witnessed right defenders who protected Pınar Selek’s acquittals in March. On the other side:
- The justice could not be secured in the Ahmet Yıldız case. The trial was postponed to July 4, 2023.
- The Constitutional Court (AYM), ruled that the right to assembly and demonstration wasn’t violated regarding the prevention of anti-homophobia march on May 22, in 2016 by the Governorship. The court gave a similar verdict for the news of Yeni Akit newspaper dated 2017.
- A new act has begun within the context of the Pınar Selek case pending for 25 years. 25 LGBTI+ organizations made a call for Pınar Selek case. Kağıthane District Governorship banned the press statement on the pretext that LGBTI+ organizations also made a call for the statement. While the Court of Cassation exceeded its legal reviewing authority, the trial was postponed to September 29.
- Ajdar Ender, who has been subjected to systematic transphobia by her neighbors for 18 years, will be put on trial upon the complaint of her neighbors, on Thursday, May 11.
LGBTI+ Human Rights 2022 Report, which was prepared by Kaos GL and will be an essential source of human rights literature, was one of the two prominent human rights agenda in March. The report published with the headline “Let’s March on to Freedom”, not only revealed the violation of all kinds of rights against LGBTI+s in 2022, but also listed recommendations to Grand National Assembly of Turkey, the Presidency, international partners, the Council of Europe and the European Union. And May 17 Association published an oral history study, titled “From AIDS to HIV Activism: Remains of Yesterday”, which summarizes the course of HIV and right advocacy in Turkey and prepared by Zülfikar Çetin.
Translation: Selma Koçak
Tags: human rights
