Turkey: Stop violence against transgender people

From a letter sent jointly by HRW, Pembe Hayat, ILGA-Europe and IGLHRC to the Prime Minister of Turkey:

In order to end the ongoing violence and murders of transgender people in Turkey, we respectfully urge the Turkish government to take the following measures:

• 1. Ensure an effective investigation into the murders of Fevzi Yener, Derya Y., and Şinasi Halimoğlu, which will be capable of leading to the identification and prosecution of the alleged perpetrator(s) of these crimes. Ensure similar steps are taken in the event of any future crimes against the LGBT community.
• 2. Enact anti-discrimination legislation that includes sexual orientation and gender identity as protected status.
• 3. Collect, analyze and disaggregate national and local data on violence, including violence on the grounds on sexual orientation and gender identity as a recognized category.
• 4. Provide training to law enforcement authorities on issues of sexual orientation and gender identity.

1. Include sexual orientation and gender identity in school curricula as a way to combat gender stereotypes.

• 6. Establish permanent communication mechanisms between the police and Turkish LGBT organizations.
• 7. Revise the Law of Misdemeanors (No. 5326) that provides police the option to fine or otherwise treat individuals as criminals on the grounds of their sexual orientation or gender identity and expression. The vagueness of this law-which purports to "protect public order, general morality, general health, the environment, and the economic order"- allows for prejudicial enforcement by police.

The full text of the letter is currently online at the HRW website in Turkish and English.

An accompanying press release is available to download as a Microsoft Word document in Turkish and English.

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Previous posts related to the continuing war against trans women in Turkey:

• Istanbul: another woman murdered (February 17, 2010)
• Turkey: Case to close Siyah Pembe adjourned after first hearing (February 11, 2010)
• Turkey: another woman murdered (February 9, 2010)
• Turkey: cis man sentenced to life imprisonment for deliberate homicide and aggravated looting (January 25, 2010)
• *UPDATE* Turkey: another LGBT rights organization faces closure (December 16, 2009)
• Turkey: Police try to prevent submission of human rights petition by trans protesters (November 2, 2009)
• Turkey: another LGBT rights organization faces closure (October 26, 2009)
• Turkey: Murderer of Melek K sentenced to life imprisonment? (October 18, 2009)
• Turkey: Second hearing in the trial for the murder of Melek K adjourned (October 16, 2009)
• Not-so-easy money (October 1, 2009)
• 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)