AI: discrimination against LGBT problem in Turkey

PanARMENIAN.Net - Discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people is a problem in Turkey, and a new report made public Tuesday, June 21, is urging the new government to take measures to protect their rights, Hürriyet Daily News reported.

“It is the responsibility of all the parties in Parliament to ensure that any new constitutional reforms in Turkey outlaws discrimination on grounds of sexuality or gender identity,” said Andrew Gardner, Amnesty International’s researcher on Turkey.

Entitled “Not an illness, nor a crime,” the report said lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, or LGBT, people in Turkey demand equality. The report cited interviews with people who faced discrimination from officials in health services, education, housing and the workplace in a country where there are no provisions to prevent it.

The report is based on research carried out by Amnesty International (AI), delegates in January and February in five cities across Turkey – Ankara, Diyarbakır, Eskişehir, Istanbul and İzmir. Individual case information indicated in the report is based on 70 interviews with the individuals concerned, NGOs or groups working with the individuals, plus their friends and supporters, court documents and other official documentation.

One of the stunning cases mentioned in the report was the murder of Ahmet Yıldız. The 26-year-old openly gay man living with his partner in Istanbul was shot dead on July 15, 2008, in what many believe to be an “honor killing.”

Gardner said that despite the complaint, the criminal investigation was not carried out effectively, which allowed the father, the main suspect, to flee from the country without questioning.

“The pervasive prejudice against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Turkey and the fear of ostracism and attacks, means that many feel compelled to conceal their sexual orientation – even from their families,” the report argued.

Gardner said that even during their interviews, they experienced many challenges such as concerns about revealing their identity.