İstanbul LGBTİ Asked to Evacuate Its Office, Justification ‘Conservatism’

Click to read the article in Turkish

İstanbul LGBTİ Solidarity Association has been asked to evacuate their office on Öğüt street in İstanbul’s Beyoğlu district by the landlord. The landlord’s justification is that he doesn’t approve of association’s activities.

“I link this situation to the recent developments. We’ve been using the same office since our association was founded. The institutions carrying out alternative works in various fields are suffering oppression during the State of Emergency. Now we are trying to be kicked out of the place, which we haven’t had any trouble, on the ground of conservatism.

“We paid the rent. Landlords may go to court if they wish. We will not leave where we are”.

Kırancı: Landlords are disturbed by us

“There are two owners of the office, one is an attorney. The attorney asked us for an appointment today (September 29). He was the one who had rented us the apartment, he is a nice person.

“Today he told us that ‘I am an attorney, a democratic person, however, my associate is a conservative person and he definitely wants you out.

“So, the other landlord is disturbed by our sexual identity, sexual orientation and association’s activities. The attorney congratulated me for returning to my education and passing to second-grade as a trans woman”.

Ebru Kırancı had started to receive education at Şişli Vocational High School Justice Program. Passing to second-grade this year, Kırancı wants to enter law faculty by External Transfer Exam.

İstanbul LGBTİ condemned the evacuation attempt on its social media accounts.

About İstanbul LGBTİ

Founded by trans activists in 2007, İstanbul LGBTİ became an association in 2011.

Focusing on the issues of trance individuals, the association has been providing psychological support and aid to trances.

The association organized the first Trans Pride Parade in Turkey in 2010. The parade is being organized every year since that day.

The association has also been running the Trans House Project which hosts trances that don’t have a shelter, the trances under the risk of violence in North Africa and the Middle East, LGBTİ refugees and asylum seekers. (ÇT/TK)