Trans Pride Committee: We Don’t Recognize Prohibition

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İstanbul Governorate has declared it is “not going to permit” the 7th Pride Parade to be held on June 19 and 14th İstanbul LGBTI+ Pride Parade.

Elif Avcı from the İstanbul LGBTI+ Pride Week Committee said, “Our responsibility is to ensure safety of the masses we invited. We will evaluate the governorate’s statement. We will choose the most correct way and inform the public about the developments”.

The Governorate has expressed that the areas where to hold such rallies are predetermined and asked the potential participants to rally in those predetermined places.

Trans Pride Week Committee: We will exercise our constitutional right

Kıvılcım Arat speaking to bianet spoke as follows:

“We don’t recognize the Governorate’s statement because right of demonstration and marching is granted to citizens of Republic of Turkey by the Constitution. While religious groups and various groups can freely issue their press statement on İstiklal street, it is discrimination to prohibit LGBTI parade.

“If they intervene in the march we are going to hold on June 19, we will first resort to inner legal means and pursue this unlawful practice before the European Court of Human Rights.

“We will exercise our constitutional right and gather there at 5 p.m. on June 19. We are also urging the Governorate to act in accordance with the Constitution”.

İstanbul LGBTI+ Pride Week Committee has found the decision unlawful

İstanbul LGBTI+ Pride Week Committee has issued a written statement following the prohibition declaration of the Governorate.

Committee saying “It is very important for us to become visible in the city centers even for just a day in a year”, has reminded the Governorate that the right to hold demonstration and rally is ensured by the Constitution. The committee stated that the decision is unlawful.

What had happened?

The LGBTI Pride Parade being organized over 13 years was tried to be obstructed by the police for the first time last year.

Following the Orlando attack which claimed lives of 49 homosexuals, some groups in Turkey had issued threat messages and attack calls on the 7th İstanbul Trans Pride Parade to be held on June 19 and 14th İstanbul LGBTI+ Pride Parade to be held on June 26. (ÇT/TK)