01/11/2022 | Writer: Defne Güzel

Three hate rallies were organized in three different provinces in October. While it was painful enough, Censorship Law was approved by the parliament and the foundations of Family Law were laid. Well, who will put LGBTI+s’ sheltering issue, torture and poverty on the agenda?

Violation of rights against LGBTI+s in October: Hate rallies in 3 different provinces in a month! Kaos GL - News Portal for LGBTI+

Plenty of violations of rights, from affixing home seals to police torture, from hate rallies to sheltering issues, were experienced in October considering human rights, equality and freedoms.

Persecution against trans in Bornova and Bayram streets goes on

Attacks against trans women in İzmir had media coverage at the beginning of October. Houses of trans women living in Bornova Street, were affixed sealing on the grounds of prostitution. It is revealed that the justification of the sealing was based on the statement given by the perpetrator of the knife attack. And the request for objection to the house sealing was rejected.

On October 26, the houses in three apartment buildings, where trans women live, in Küçük Bayram Street at Beyoğlu district in İstanbul were affixed sealing. Pink Life Association made a statement about the issue as follows:

“The services and opportunities which were defined and determined for ‘everyone’ by the state, are not performed / applied when it comes to trans people. While the law prevents trans people participating equally in social and economic life, the police, who fine trans people by applying the same laws arbitrarily, constrain trans people from buying property and renting houses. With the sealing of the houses in Küçük Bayram Street for three months, trans women, who were left homeless, have nowhere to go. Eylül Cansın Trans House, which is the first and only trans guest house in Turkey, and supported, empowered a great deal of elderly, immigrant, refugee, insecure trans people who are in need in order to make them go out until now, was closed down. Elderly people, immigrants, refugees and disadvantaged people were put out on the street. Trans women living in Küçük Bayram Street are forced to be displaced and deprived from their fundamental rights just as trans people living in Ülker Street, in Esat-Eryaman and Alsancak in İzmir. Sheltering /housing is a fundamental right and trans people’s right to shelter cannot be lurched!”

Censor to rainbow production from LCW

LCW company made a scandal decision at the beginning of October. Textile company LCW gave instruction to its employees in an e-mail written: “rainbow, unicorn, rainbow+unicorn themes should not be used in a way that can create LGBT perception.” Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank congratulated the company regarding their censor decision, at the opening ceremony of LC Waikiki Yalova Logistic Center.

Women’s Defense Network protested LC Waikiki due to banning rainbow colors in İzmir. Gathering in front of the Karşıyaka Çarşı branch of the company, protestors painted the entrance of the store in rainbow colors, on October 8. The women, forming rainbow colors with their clothes as well clamored against LCW: “We shout in front of LCW, the opponent of workers, women and LGBTI+s, in company with rainbow colors: Despite hate, long live life.” 

Economic crisis and hate victimize LGBTI+ students

Growing economic crisis increased it impact in October as well. Sheltering, housing, dormitory and the cost of renting a house issues overgrew. Bianet made news about the experiences of LGBTI+ people, who have to be in the closet at the dormitories or houses they rent, and were discharged from the dorms attached to General Directorate of Credit and Dormitories Agency due to using their right of assembly.

Urfa, Konya and Ankara witnessed hate

Anti-LGBTI+ hate rallies, which started in İstanbul Saraçhane district, took place in Urfa, Konya and Ankara in October. At the hate rally, which was first held in Şanlıurfa with the call of Şanlıurfa Family Platform, it is announced that the signature campaign for the petition to be submitted to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey was continuing. Following Urfa, another hate rally was held in Konya and Konya Metropolitan Mayor Uğur İbrahim Altay participated in the meeting. Last stop of the hate rallies in October was Ankara. Within the scope of the rally, which targeted İstanbul Convention and cartoon films, some banners were carried in Turkish and English. On the other hand none of the rallies addressed the problems such as economic crisis, poverty and sheltering problems. Equality, rights and freedom were not emphasized within the context of the rallies.

Earlier on the hate meeting in Ankara, LGBTI+s marched from Hacı Bayram Veli Mosque to Ulus Square, the route of the march, before anti-LGBTI+s and wrote: “Despite hate, long live life” on the walls along the march route. And they said: “We left them several notes along the route of the march for them to see that we exist everywhere they look.” 

On the other side, LGBTI+s living in Mersin, protested anti-LGBTI+ activities and hate rallies titled “Great Family Meeting” which started in İstanbul Saraçhane district and spread to other provinces. LGBTI+s went to the Vatan (Patriot) Party building, which is among the organizers of the hate rally and spread anti-LGBTI+ hate speech, and left an LGBTI+ flag on the door of the apartment.

Last target of the police torture is Yeldeğirmeni

Yeldeğirmeni has been on the top of the agenda with anti-LGBTI+ gangs and police attacks since June. This time violence against LGBTI+s in Yeldeğirmeni winded up in police torture. LGBTI+s and women were exposed to torture harassment on the night between October 12 and October 13. LGBTI+s and women, who were exposed to violence with kicks and punches by the police and the harassers, were also exposed to reverse handcuffs and close-range pepper spray. Then thay were brought to Kadıköy Police Station.

LGBTI+s and women, who were exposed to police torture in Kadıköy, made a press statement at the İstanbul Branch of Human Rights Association (IHD). HDP MP Züleyha Gülüm and representatives from Social Policies, Gender Identity, and Sexual Orientation Studies Association (SPoD), The Contemporary Lawyers Association (ÇHD), and IHD LGBTI+ were present at the press conference.

Event annulment and LGBTI+s victimized by IBB

Late in October, an event of Özyeğin University LGBTI+ Club, which was approved firstly, was cancelled by the university.

LGBTI+ students who take buses to arrive school, reminded the violence they were exposed to by İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) in October once again, through the agency of Bianet. Trans people in the process of transition told about the wrath of IBB drivers due to the difference between their appearance and the gender digit on their smart tickets. LGBTI+s’ right to transportation was violated in the cause of IBB drivers’ hate speech and irregular usage notifications.

Censorship Law and the ban of Ankara Governorship

The 40-article bill, popularly known as Censorship Law, was approved by the Parliament with AKP and MHP votes. The bill, imposes restrictions not only on journalists but also on everyone’s right to obtain information or right to be in the news.

Even though the indefinite ban decision regarding LGBTI+ activities ruled in 2017, was removed in 2019 by the Regional Administrative Court, the ban decision was brought before ECHR after the demand regarding a stay of execution about the ban announced by the Governorship was declined and their application was rejected by the Constitutional Court.

The course of the cases in October

The second trial of the case against We Will Stop Femicide Platform (KCDP) which was heard on October 6, was resulted in an annulment. Next trial will be heard on January 11th, in 2023.

The lawsuit, filed after Ahmet Yıldız was murdered by their father in 2008 due to being gay, was heard at the 36th trial, and the request of LGBTI+ associations to hear the witnesses was accepted by the court. The trial was postponed to February 28, 2023.

The seventh trial of Esat-Eryaman case was heard on October 18 and the case was postponed to November 21, 2022. And a lawsuit was filed against eight people who were detained during Eskişehir Pride March. According to the prosecutor, even taking photographs and chanting slogans are also a crime. The case will be heard on February 16, 2023.

Family “discussions”: Call us, we will tell you!

In October, while all these emerging developments, which undermine equality and freedom and violate the human rights of LGBTI+s, occupied the country’s agenda, the President Tayyip Erdoğan said: “perverted movements are spreading day by day with the influence and encouragement of global powers” at the Inaugural Meeting of Mevlid-i Nebi Week. And he said: “Together with LGBT, they have made efforts to degenerate our family structure.” on his return from Prague. Is that all? No way! He used the statements “by means of putting perverted movements forward” at the General Assembly of Turkey Youth Foundation (TUGVA), and “strong family creates a strong nation” on the return from Kazakhstan visit, and he said: “Can there be such a thing as LGBT in a strong family? Surely, not.” at the Civil Society Meeting and Sector Representatives Meeting.

LGBTI+ families responded to Erdoğan’s question “Can there be such a thing as LGBT in a strong family?” by saying “Call us, we will tell you”. Let us to tell what being a family is, what being a family of LGBTI+ is, how to love children unconditionally… Listen also from us, once!”

Translation: Selma Koçak


Tags: human rights
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