Turkey Moves To Silence Gays
Turkey's sole LGBT civil rights organization could be shut down after the deputy governor of the capital, Ankara, petitioned a court to rule the group is breaking the nation's immorality laws.
Kaos Gay and Lesbian Cultural Research and Solidarity Organization applied for official government status as "a non governmental agency" on July 15. The group had been in existence since 1994 but until now had not sought official approval.
The Ministry of Interior accepted the application and forwarded it to its local branch in Ankara which functions under the Mayor of Ankara.
This week, Selahattin Ekremoglu, the deputy governor of Ankara, asked a court at the Principal Registry to order Kaos closed.
“The Turkish Civil Code states that associations against law and morality cannot be established," Ekremoglu's petition to the court said.
"This association’s title and purposes were found to be against this.”
Kaos general secretary Ali Erol said he was not surprised the government was attempting to silence the organization.
"The bureaucracy is disturbed by the breaking of Turkey's last taboo - homosexuality," he told the Reuters news agency.
If the court decides to close the organization it could affect Turkey's application for full membership in the European Union. The EU has already warned the country that it must guarantee freedom of expression.
Erol said that if Kaos is closed the group will take its case to the European Court.
The International Lesbian & Gay Association of Europe said it would support Kaos if it went to the European Court.
"We would like to remind the Turkish authorities about their obligation to provide freedom of association under their own constitution as well as under the European Convention on Human Rights and accession negotiation process with the European Union," said Patricia Prendiville, Executive Director of ILGA-Europe.
" Earlier this year we already witnessed attempts by various state and city authorities in Europe to restrict the right of LGBT people to assembly. However in all cases the bans were overturned by the courts and declared as discriminatory violation of the right to assembly and demonstration."
The court has not indicated when it might rule. Homosexuality is not illegal in Turkey, but discrimination against gays and lesbians is common.
365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Kaos Gay and Lesbian Cultural Research and Solidarity Organization applied for official government status as "a non governmental agency" on July 15. The group had been in existence since 1994 but until now had not sought official approval.
The Ministry of Interior accepted the application and forwarded it to its local branch in Ankara which functions under the Mayor of Ankara.
This week, Selahattin Ekremoglu, the deputy governor of Ankara, asked a court at the Principal Registry to order Kaos closed.
“The Turkish Civil Code states that associations against law and morality cannot be established," Ekremoglu's petition to the court said.
"This association’s title and purposes were found to be against this.”
Kaos general secretary Ali Erol said he was not surprised the government was attempting to silence the organization.
"The bureaucracy is disturbed by the breaking of Turkey's last taboo - homosexuality," he told the Reuters news agency.
If the court decides to close the organization it could affect Turkey's application for full membership in the European Union. The EU has already warned the country that it must guarantee freedom of expression.
Erol said that if Kaos is closed the group will take its case to the European Court.
The International Lesbian & Gay Association of Europe said it would support Kaos if it went to the European Court.
"We would like to remind the Turkish authorities about their obligation to provide freedom of association under their own constitution as well as under the European Convention on Human Rights and accession negotiation process with the European Union," said Patricia Prendiville, Executive Director of ILGA-Europe.
" Earlier this year we already witnessed attempts by various state and city authorities in Europe to restrict the right of LGBT people to assembly. However in all cases the bans were overturned by the courts and declared as discriminatory violation of the right to assembly and demonstration."
The court has not indicated when it might rule. Homosexuality is not illegal in Turkey, but discrimination against gays and lesbians is common.
365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
