LGBTI Activist Attacked at Home

Kemal Ördek, one of the founders of Red Umbrella Sexual Health and Human Rights Association (Kırmızı Şemsiye Derneği) was raped and robbed at his home in Ankara. A police officer in station complained “Enough with the people of Prophet Lot!”

Three days passed after the incident. At the police station, perpetrators kept threating Ördek “We know where you live now. They’ll release us anyway and you’ll have to deal with the consequences.” The perpetrators are free and they continue to harass Ördek by phone.

Kemal Ördek’s lawyer told bianet that the prosecutor who was subjected to the police station released the perpetrators without a trial. At the moment, the case is in the hands of the public prosecutor. Four lawyers try to collect evidence.

They took Ördek to ATM to withdraw cash

Kemal Ördek is an activist who has been working for LGBTI and sex workers’ rights for years. On Sunday night, two men came to the house of Ördek.

Two men appeared at their door on Sunday night. One of them raped Ördek and they confiscated Ördek’s cell phone. Then, they called one of their relatives and gave them Ördek’s address.

Perpetrators wanted money from Ördek. When they found out that the did not have any cash at home, they took Ördek to ATM. Ördek spotted a police car near the ATM and then ran to the police and described what had just happened.

Perpetrators: “Nothing happens to us, doesn’t it, sir?

Ördek told what happened: ““The police shut me up when I tried to tell them what happened. They said, ‘Be quiet. Don’t speak unless you’re spoken to!’ In the meantime, the policemen calmly listened to the perpetrators as they said: ‘We are upright men, officer. Show sympathy. Don't listen to this faggot. He invited us in, you know how they are’.

Afterwards, the policemen got in police car to take Ördek and the perpetrators to the police station. By the way, the perpetrators were threatening Ördek by telling them that they would rape him again and kill him. Turning to the police, they continued “Nothing happens to us, doesn’t it, sir? We have family, after all. Don’t waste us for the sake of this faggot, we understand each other, right?”

“You know what will happen if you don’t give up”

When they arrived at the police station the perpetrators warned Ördek: “Do give up. You know what will happen if you don’t. We know where you live now. They’ll release us anyway and you’ll have to deal with the consequences.”

Meanwhile, the police found Ördek’s cell phone, which the perpetrators had left in the car and then, an officer took Ördek and one of the perpetrators outside of the station and asked them: “Will you drop the charges if we find your phone?” and he gave Ördek his phone back.

Police: “You were not raped, how are you coming up with all this?”

As Ördek was waiting for his lawyer outside of the police station, they heard a police officer entering the station while saying “Enough with the people of Prophet Lot!”

Ördek said:

“When my lawyer arrived, we sat together outside of the station to talk. It was time for the pre-dawn meal of suhur because of Ramadan and there were officers sitting around in the garden and eating… They were talking about me, laughing out loud, saying things like ‘Look what a big deal he made out of a simple robbery…” One of the policemen said loudly to the others, ‘These people revolted against the government during Gezi Park Protests.’”

The perpetrators were taken to the hospital for a health check when Ördek gave his statement at the police station. The policemen recording the statement had earlier told Ördek outside of the station: “You were not raped, how you coming up with all this?” As Ördek was dictating his statement, the policeman interfered, “This statement is too long to be recorded; keep it short. I am being lenient and empathetic here. Just describe it briefly.”

Ördek received medical report from the hospital. However, they saw that the police report was based on the expression of the perpetrators so he refused to sign it. Ördek then applied for a protection and restraining order.

The prosecution released the three perpetrators and they continue to harass Ördek by phone. (ÇT/BD)

Click here to read the article in Turkish