In the wake of the banning of both Trans and LGBTI pride in Istanbul, Transgender Europe calls on Turkish authorities to make demonstrable efforts to effectively protect the rights of trans people, sex workers, and other marginalised groups in the country.
Turkish authorities have failed to protect fundamental human rights, guaranteed by the Turkish Constitution, and have violated the principles of freedom of expression and the press by banning the 7th Trans Pride March on June 19th and the LGBTI Pride on June 26th.
TGEU’s Executive Director Julia Ehrt said “We are concerned over the failure of the Turkish state to ensure freedom of assembly for activists at Pride this June, instead of being protected in their right to peacefully demonstrate, dozens of activists of both marches were detained.”
Ehrt added “we share the statement that was to be read at trans pride so that the voices of trans persons which were silenced by the state can be heard by many more, and reiterate their call to continue to fight for an equal, free, and democratic world.”
While urging the Turkish authorities to protect the rights of trans people, TGEU also calls on the Council of Europe to closely monitor the situation in the country.
More information:
A report on the Trans Pride March: http://kaosgl.org/page.php?id=21942
Statement in English:
7th Trans Pride March Istanbul LGBTI Solidarity Association Press Statement
Press statement in Turkish (original): http://kaosgl.org/sayfa.php?id=21909
2015: