01/12/2014 | Writer: Kaos GL
The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Pre-Session of Turkey will take place on 3 December 2014.
“The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a unique process which involves a review of the human rights records of all UN Member States. The UPR is a State-driven process, under the auspices of the Human Rights Council, which provides the opportunity for each State to declare what actions they have taken to improve the human rights situations in their countries and to fulfill their human rights obligations. As one of the main features of the Council, the UPR is designed to ensure equal treatment for every country when their human rights situations are assessed.”
LGBT hate murders in Turkey 2010-2014
The UPR Pre-Session of Turkey will take place on 3 December 2014. This session will allow civil society organizations engaged in the UPR to give their recommendations to Member States. We will be taking the floor to present our joint submission (Kaos GL, LGBTI News Turkey, IGLHRC, ILGA) and to put forth the following recommendations:
1. Include the terms “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” in constitutional clauses on equality and non-discrimination, as well as in hate crimes legislation.
2. Take all administrative measures, both on the national and local levels, to prohibit and prevent discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, in order to provide effective protection of LGBT individuals in Turkey.
3. Conduct full and independent investigations into all allegations of harassment, violence, or abuse of LGBT individuals, and prosecute perpetrators.
4. Monitor, aggregate, and publish data on the number of complaints of violence against members of the LGBT community.
5. Provide mandatory trainings on the international standards of non-discrimination to government officials, police, military, prison/detention staff and to the judiciary with specific emphasis on sexual orientation and gender identity.
6. Provide a comprehensive framework for public school education on sexuality that includes sexual orientation and gender identity.
7. Cease to categorize homosexuality and transsexuality as illnesses of any sort.
8. Ensure that an individual’s mere existence as an LGBT individual is never considered “unjust provocation” of a criminal act, nor “contrary to law and ethics”.
9. Provide legal protection and equal treatment for LGBT people who have faced discrimination and abuse due to their actual or perceived sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
10.Guarantee the freedom of speech and assembly for LGBT community members and their allies.
Link to our full report: UPR-LGBT
Tags: life
