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Updates from the Greek Transgender Support Association on the situation in Thessaloniki
25 Sept 2013
“As a follow up of the situation of last months in Thessaloniki (systematic pogrom against trans women from police), we would like to give you some info.
[Since] 21st of July that we managed to have a meeting with the head of police of Thessaloniki, the pogrom have stopped. We had only sporadic persecutions (at the beginning of September) of 2 trans women, but it was not in the systematic way of massive detentions, and the attitude of the police has totally changed.
Also yesterday, two representatives of Greek Transgender Support Association had a meeting with Mayor of Thessaloniki, Mr Boutaris.
We had a totally agreement with Mr. Boutaris about the persecutions of trans women. He said that it is not acceptable, and that he will talk with head of police of Thessaloniki.
The other subject was the discriminations and exclusions that transgender people face – mainly in work and employment.
He promised that he will do his best in this directions, and also, he promised that he will do everything he can for the employment of trans people in Municipality (to be more specific he told us word for word: ‘I will employ a trans person in my office as an example of good practice to be followed’).
At the end he told us that he wants to have the open speech of our TDoR event that we will do for first time this year in Thessaloniki, and that he is determined as long that he’s a Mayor to be advocate to transgender issues, and to start a constant contact with us.
We hope that Mayor will keep all his promises.”
Background
Trans women had since May 2013 been exposed to harassment and arbitrary detentions by the Thessaloniki police on the pretext of ID verification. Transgender Europe (June, July) as well as international organisations (Amnesty International) and Members of the European Parliament expressed their concern.
Read more about the situation of trans people in Greece on the website of the Greek Transgender Support Association.