Istanbul gay rights group wins appeal against closure under morality laws

21/01/2009 | Writer: KAOS GL

January 21, 2009
www.pinknews.co.uk

Turkey's leading gay rights group will be allowed to continue to operate after a Supreme Court ruling.

A department of the Istanbul Governor's office responsible for non-governmental organisations had alleged that the group, Lambda Istanbul, violates Turkish laws on morality.

In May 2008 a court in Istanbul agreed that Lambda breaches both the Penal Code, as an association in violation of "law and morals," and Article 41 of the Turkish constitution, which is concerned with "the peace and welfare of the family."

The court ordered Lambda Istanbul to close.

It was founded in 1993 and registered as an association in May 2006.

Yesterday the organisation learnt that the Supreme Court of Appeals "rejected the local court's decision on the grounds that reference to LGBT people in the name and the statute of the association did not constitute opposition to Turkish moral values," said Amnesty International.

"The Court
Tags: human rights