Turkey Regional Action Network

July 2011

(1) Turkey Blog Amnesty International USA website has recently featured two new blog articles on updated Turkeys human rights issues. All these new blog articles as well as older blog articles and TURKRAN newsletters can be viewed at our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/AmnestyInternational-USA-Turkey-Regional-ActionNetwork/134561963283302

This article features long-standing human rights violations against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals and communities in Turkey. Discriminatory practices that LGBT individuals face are not only homophobic and statements by state officials but also [h]ate crimes, harassment, and even honor killings.

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2) New Report on Turkey:

a) Women in Turkey: The Numbers Are Stacked Against Them (http://blog.amnestyusa.org/women/wome n-in-turkey-the-numbers-are-stackedagainst-them-2/)
Although there is an increase in the number of female parliament members (PMs) after the recent parliamentary elections in Turkey, there are serious flaws in protecting womens rights in the country. Although Turkey has become the first signatory state for a new European convention to prevent and combat violence against women, the Turkish governments commitment to women has quite literally been erased.

'NOT AN ILLNESS NOR A CRIME': LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER PEOPLE IN TURKEY DEMAND EQUALITY
Amnesty International has just published a report on the situation of Turkeys sexual minorities lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT). This is one of the most problematic and long-standing human rights issues in Turkey, and yet the rights of LGBT individuals have continued to be ignored. The report is based on research carried out by Amnesty International delegates in the early 2011 in five cities across Turkey including Ankara, Diyarbakr, Eskiehir, stanbul, and zmir.

b) LGBT Rights in Turkey: Time for Action (http://blog.amnestyusa.org/lgbt/lgbtrights-in-turkey-time-for-action/)

Discriminatory practices and homophobic and transphobic propaganda in the media against LGBT individuals are systematic in Turkey. The reports reveals that people are discriminated against on the grounds of their sexual orientation and gender identity both by the state and non-state actors in the workplace, in health services, in education and in housing. The report makes references, amongst other things, to the infamous remarks by State Minister for Women and Family Affairs Aliye Kavaf, who had declared that homosexuality is an illness. Such pervasive prejudice and intolerance have also translated into serious acts of violence against LGBT individuals and organizations. Transgender women in a great many cases are particularly vulnerable as they are forced to engage in illegal sex work and face other types of physical harassment by law enforcement officials. The Turkish authorities have ignored the continuing prevalence of hate crimes, including violent attacks and murders against LGBT individuals. According to the report, over 70% of interviewed LGBT individuals fear violence due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. While the government encourages the culture of homophobia and transphobia in the society at large, the right to nondiscrimination, a fundamental principle underpinning all human rights, is protected by various conventions to which Turkey is a party including the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (Article 2(1)), the International Covenant on Economical, Social and Cultural Rights (Article 2(2)) and the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (Article 14)all of which prohibit discrimination in the enjoyment of other rights set out in the conventions. As part of a series of recommendations, Amnesty International calls on the Turkish

authorities to amend the constitution so as to prohibit all forms of discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity and to bring into force comprehensive non-discrimination legislation. Amnesty International further calls on the Turkish authorities to take urgent steps to prevent further hate crimes and adopt measures to prosecute past suspected hate crimes effectively. As with previous Amnestys reports on Turkey, Amnesty International continues to call on the Turkish authorities to respect and protect the rights of freedom of expression and association for all without discrimination. Please join Amnesty Internationals efforts to demand the Turkish government take responsibility for protecting the fundamental rights of Turkeys LGBT individuals.

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USEFUL RESOURCES: The full report in PDF format can be downloaded at: http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/EU R44/001/2011/en Amnesty Internationals video on this issue can be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCTBh3 gpJ9M Please distribute the campaign leaflet Human rights are my pride. It can be downloaded at: http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/EU R44/005/2011/en Please take action on the Online Action Page: Turkey: End discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people at:

http://www.amnesty.org/en/appeals-foraction/end-discrimination-against-lesbiangay-bisexual-transgender-people

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Letter Writing Actions to Turkish Authority
PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY in Turkish or your own language!

its police. It needs to amend its laws so that gay, lesbian, and transgendered citizens enjoy what all Turkish citizens should enjoy: equal protection under the law. I am writing you because the newly elected government in Turkey, in which your party holds a large majority, has pledged to introduce a new constitution containing greater human rights protections. Now is the time for Turkey to extend constitutional protection from discrimination to include sexual orientation. I also urge you to ratify Protocol 12 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. Both of these actions will go a long way towards ending discrimination in Turkey based on sexual orientation. Sincerely, Cc: Ambassador Namik Tan Embassy, Republic of Turkey 2525 Massachusetts Ave., NW Washington, DC 20008

Sample letter: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan Office of the Prime Minister Basbakanlik. 06573 Ankara. Turkey Dear Prime Minister, Amnesty International has issued a new report on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender rights in Turkey that outlines the difficult straits of Turkeys LGBT community. The report makes for grim reading. The LGBT community in Turkey is subject to a general atmosphere of harassment and discrimination. Violence is widespread and often comes from members of their own families. Assault, rape, and even murder go uninvestigated and unpunished. In this discriminatory climate, violence and harassment against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals by police officers and in the military remains unchecked. Effective measures are also lacking to prevent and investigate suspected hate crimes targeting people on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Turkey needs to do better. It needs to stop discrimination of the LGBT community and end harassment of individuals and LGBT associations. It needs to take proactive action against hate crimes and better train