LGBTI organizations wanted state officers to be on trial

 

LGBTI organizations filed a criminal complaint, related to police attacks, about Secretary of State for Home Affairs, Sebahattin Öztürk, Governor of Istanbul, Vasip Şahin and Istanbul Police Commissioner Selami Altınok enforcing the orders against law.

 

Kaos GL, Lambdaistanbul, SPoD LGBTİ ve Kırmızı Şemsiye (Red Umbrella) demanded whoever is responsible for deliberately injuring, tormenting, physical violence, abusive way of duty, violating freedom for expression, crossing the line of using force, menace against freedom and enforcing the orders against law to be on trial.

 

 

Denunciation was made to press today with rainbow flags and bills written both in Turkish and English “We are here we are not leaving, get used to it!” On behalf of LGBTI organizations, Kaos GL Law Secretary and Lawyer Yasemin Öz, reminding violation of constitutional rights and police torturing people with abusive way of duty in the street, made a statement.

 

 

Emphasizing on LGBTI Pride March’s history and its taking place peacefully in Turkey for years, Öz added:

 

“The issue of relating March within our regulation is not for the aim of getting permission for the March but informing state about the safety of rioters. State does not have a right for prohibiting the March. Noticing for the March had already been done in press. Governance and suspects have learned about the March from press after all, they were able to pervade whole part of Istiklal Avenue and alleys with law enforcement officers.

 

“Trying to show not informing governance and suspects as a reason, unjust and non-proportional police violence against people being there peacefully is not something else but violating laws.”

 

“Ramadan can’t be an excuse of prohibiting the March”

 

Reminding also Governor Şahin’s saying the reason of “Ramadan sensibility” for prohibiting the March to People’s Democratic Party (HDP) MP Filiz Kerestecioğlu, Öz said “our country is a country in which Muslims and people with different religious beliefs are living together. Assumption of some people belonging to specific religion might have sensibility against LGBTI people in Ramadan month, accepted as divine, and preventing basic right of meeting and Marching is not acceptable legally.

 

Indicating a secular state has the responsibility of approaching all religions, beliefs or no beliefs equally, Öz talked in the way that “besides, LGBTI people and parents belong to various beliefs or no beliefs, trying to impose on society that LGBTI March is disrespect to a belief is against 657 numbered Public Servants Law and international agreements.”

 

 

Apart from organizations’ application officially, 68 more people have made official complaint individually about Secretary of State for Home Affairs, Governor of Province and Police Commissioner.

 

Kaos GL, TOHAV, TIHV and Pride Week Committee’s legal support for people hurt, tormented, agonized and exposed to police violence, transphobic and homophobic harassment during March still continues.

 

Translated by Simge Şirin