From the Turkish Daily News - July 24, 2008
SOPHIE TEN BOKKEL HUININK
ISTANBUL - Turkish Daily News
There is daily discrimination, harassment and police violation of gays, lesbians, transsexuals and many other minority groups in Turkey, said a German Green Party member, during a press conference in Istanbul yesterday.
The Lambda Istanbul Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Transexual, or LGBTT, Solidarity Association, which is currently under threat of being shut down by the courts, held a press conference to discuss the absence of rights for sexual minorities in the Turkish Constitution. One of the participants was German Green Party member and commissioner for human rights policy and humanitarian aid for the German government, Claudia Roth.
"Turkey is not the only country that has human rights problems; it is a struggle all over the world. Although things have improved since 1993, it is obviously not enough. Still people are being killed because they are gay," said Roth. "I deeply regret the death of Ahmet Yıldız," she added, referring to the death of a Turk who represented the country at an international gay pride gathering in San Francisco last year. He was shot last week and the incident raised questions about whether it was Turkey's first gay honor killing. "Everyone has equal rights and nobody should be afraid. Proud to be out!" emphasized Roth.
In May this year, a local Istanbul court issued a legal order to close Lambda Istanbul, which is Turkey's only gay rights association, on the grounds that it violates the law for the protection of family and public morality.
SOPHIE TEN BOKKEL HUININK
ISTANBUL - Turkish Daily News
There is daily discrimination, harassment and police violation of gays, lesbians, transsexuals and many other minority groups in Turkey, said a German Green Party member, during a press conference in Istanbul yesterday.
The Lambda Istanbul Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Transexual, or LGBTT, Solidarity Association, which is currently under threat of being shut down by the courts, held a press conference to discuss the absence of rights for sexual minorities in the Turkish Constitution. One of the participants was German Green Party member and commissioner for human rights policy and humanitarian aid for the German government, Claudia Roth.
"Turkey is not the only country that has human rights problems; it is a struggle all over the world. Although things have improved since 1993, it is obviously not enough. Still people are being killed because they are gay," said Roth. "I deeply regret the death of Ahmet Yıldız," she added, referring to the death of a Turk who represented the country at an international gay pride gathering in San Francisco last year. He was shot last week and the incident raised questions about whether it was Turkey's first gay honor killing. "Everyone has equal rights and nobody should be afraid. Proud to be out!" emphasized Roth.
In May this year, a local Istanbul court issued a legal order to close Lambda Istanbul, which is Turkey's only gay rights association, on the grounds that it violates the law for the protection of family and public morality.
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