Not-so-easy money

An update to my previous post (Easy money, link here) about the campaign of violent intimidation and harassment recently launched against trans people in Istanbul by the new Chief of Police, Hüseyin Çapkın.

This news report via Bianet (link here):

Transsexuals Take Position against Chief of Police Hüseyin Çapkın

The Istanbul LGTB Initiative and the Labor Movement Party organized a demonstration in Istanbul’s busy district of Beyoğlu to draw attention to the oppression and applications against transvestites and transsexuals enforced by Chief of Police Hüseyin Çapkın during the last days.

The transsexuals and transvestites argued in the meeting in the early evening hours on 28 September that every day arbitrary fines have been issued to them under the excuse of disturbing the environment. They announced that they are not going to give way to these applications.

Participants of the demonstration walked from Taksim square all the way down the busy and popular Istiklal Avenue to Galatasary square, stating that no policy of intimidation could stop them from leading a free life.

Demonstrators shouted slogans like “We are not exhibitionists, we are transvestites”, “Transvestitism cannot be forbidden” or “The police robs and the state protects them”. Ebru Kırancı said in a press release after the march: “Earlier on, Hüseyin Çapkın tyrannized transvestites in Izmir when he was the local Chief of Police. He was also involved in issues such as the killing of Baran Tursun. Our life is difficult anyhow. Now Hüseyin Çapkın turned it into hell as the Istanbul Chief of Police”.

Kırancı argued that Çapkın signaled a hunt for transvestites within the Istanbul police. “This hostility against transvestites is not only the policy of the police or the chief, this is the government’s policy of systematic discrimination”.

Kırancı stated that they are going to fight these applications till the end with collective criminal complaints, protest marches, press releases and further actions. Addressing the police she continued: “Is transvestitism a crime? Is a transvestite criminal? Is it your duty to prevent crimes that increase day by day or is it your duty to tyrannize us by the means of the taxes we pay?”

The demonstrators carried banners writing “Being a transvestite or a transsexual is not a crime. ‘Police’ fines cannot intimidate us”.

Images from the protest march via Bianet:

—————

Previously related posts:

• Easy money (September 29, 2009)
• Turkey: Trans novel banned (August 15, 2009)

Human rights violations against LGBT individuals in Turkey in 2008 (August 9, 2009)

Turkey: trials in connection with the murders of two trans women now under way (July 9, 2009)

Unsafe haven: LGBT asylum seekers and refugees in Turkey (July 8, 2009)

Turkey – new Chief of Police for Istanbul. Will this bring an end to the “undeclared war” against trans women? (June 15, 2009)

Turkish policemen on trial for attack on trans woman (May 29, 2009)

Turkey: another trans woman stabbed to death – UPDATE (May 29, 2009)

Turkey: another trans woman stabbed to death (May 25, 2009)

Turkish parliament questioned on trans safety (May 12, 2009)

Lambda Istanbul granted permission to continue operating (May 7, 2009)

Suspected murderer of trans rights activist arrested in Turkey (April 21, 2009)

Every 15 days, another trans person is murdered in Turkey (April 14, 2009)

The undeclared war against LGBTT people in Turkey continues (March 29, 2009)

Another trans woman murdered in Turkey (March 14, 2009)

Trans woman stabbed to death in Istanbul (March 12, 2009)

Lambda Istanbul wins appeal against closure (January 28, 2009)

Trans rights abuses in Turkey (November 29, 2008)