Turkish Gays Ask For European Help
A group that fights for the rights of Turkey’s gay community has written a letter to leading European political figures to ask them to persuade the Turkish Parliament to stop discriminating against gay people.
Kaos GL wrote to leading Members of the European Parliament, including gay MEP Michael Cashman, to ask them to convince Turkish government officials to make some amendments to the draft Penal Code in order to address discrimination and oppression toward Turkish LGBT people.
“Turkish government officials claim that the penal code legislation was drafted to increase rights and freedoms and bring the Turkish justice system in line with European Union standards. But we don’t think the new Penal Code will bring any freedom to the Turkish LGBT community,” the letter from Kaos GL said.
“We are deeply concerned that the Turkish Justice Commission and the Turkish Parliament have refused to respond to the petitions for equality by the LGBT community in order to address discrimination and oppression.”
The implementation of the new Turkish Penal Code has been delayed until 1 June 2005 and the group wants the MEPS to persuade the Turkish government to amend the draft law to ban and criminalize discrimination based on sexual orientation; amend the “obscenity” article by clearly defining acts of “obscenity”; and remove the article penalizing consensual sexual relations between young people, which they say conflicts with the Children’s Rights Protocol and the Global Declaration on Human Rights, which have both ratified by Turkey.
"What freedoms will the new Turkish Penal Code bring us if it mutes our voices, stigmatises our sexuality as something unnatural, refuses to recognise our relationships and permits employers to fire us because of our sexual orientation?” Kaos GL said.
“Revision and harmonization of all Turkish laws or regulations pretend that lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders don’t exist. This is both not based on reality, but also not based on equality and justice.”
Original Link: rainbownetwork.com
Kaos GL wrote to leading Members of the European Parliament, including gay MEP Michael Cashman, to ask them to convince Turkish government officials to make some amendments to the draft Penal Code in order to address discrimination and oppression toward Turkish LGBT people.
“Turkish government officials claim that the penal code legislation was drafted to increase rights and freedoms and bring the Turkish justice system in line with European Union standards. But we don’t think the new Penal Code will bring any freedom to the Turkish LGBT community,” the letter from Kaos GL said.
“We are deeply concerned that the Turkish Justice Commission and the Turkish Parliament have refused to respond to the petitions for equality by the LGBT community in order to address discrimination and oppression.”
The implementation of the new Turkish Penal Code has been delayed until 1 June 2005 and the group wants the MEPS to persuade the Turkish government to amend the draft law to ban and criminalize discrimination based on sexual orientation; amend the “obscenity” article by clearly defining acts of “obscenity”; and remove the article penalizing consensual sexual relations between young people, which they say conflicts with the Children’s Rights Protocol and the Global Declaration on Human Rights, which have both ratified by Turkey.
"What freedoms will the new Turkish Penal Code bring us if it mutes our voices, stigmatises our sexuality as something unnatural, refuses to recognise our relationships and permits employers to fire us because of our sexual orientation?” Kaos GL said.
“Revision and harmonization of all Turkish laws or regulations pretend that lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders don’t exist. This is both not based on reality, but also not based on equality and justice.”
Original Link: rainbownetwork.com
