Trans Sex Worker Sues Racketeering Gang

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First hearing of Zirve Soylu alleging she was attacked by a gang racketeering trans woman sex workers begins on Friday (February 12) at 9:15 a.m. in 21st Criminal Court of First Instance.

Pink Life makes the call “Let’s not leave Zirve alone against all felons”.

The first trial is over Soylu’s complaint that the gang racketeered her. The date of other trials as to torturing by siccing dogs on her and raiding her home is yet to be determined.

Kidnapped, exposed to violence, tortured

According to report of the Pink Life, Zirve Soylu is a young trans woman and sex worker living in Avcılar district of İstanbul. She was first victimized of lynch campaigns that occurred in Meis Housing Estate in Avcılar where she worked and lived. Later, she has become a target for a gang racketeering trans woman sex workers. House of Soylu trying to take legal actions against these gangs was raided by the gangs. The young trans woman being exposed to violence has started to receive death threats.

While she hasn’t been allowed to work and live in Avcılar area, the gangs’ physical and psychological attacks have continued in streets. Several lesions and permanent damage have occurred upon the knocks she took. Her teeth have been broken, her leg injured, and permanent stitch marks occurred in her face.

In the latest incident, she was kidnapped by a car from the street where she was working. She was exposed to physical torture via dogs.

She had to return to her parents leaving the house she resided within a year. She started to have financial difficulties as she hasn’t been allowed to work.

Call from Pink Life

Pointing out that Soylu had been left alone in her fight against gangs trying to racketeer trans persons has made the following call;

“While the systematic violence trans persons were being exposed to manifests itself on different occasions in life, Zirve Soylu Case holds a strategic importance in the fight against the gangs.

“Sometimes also trans persons get involved in the gangs which have come to existence in places where trans women are working as sex laborers. Due to these gangs, trans women are being prevented from living and working in İstanbul and many other provinces. The are being deprived from the money they have earned and are being racketeered. All efforts of trans persons to determine their own destiny are being nullified by a collaboration of transphobic society, repressive and violent law enforcers and the gangs. Lets not leave Zirve alone in her fight against the oppressors.

“This solidarity call for justice for Zirve is also going to encourage other trans women as a good example in the sense of a legal struggle. Let’s not leave Zirve alone who had to maintain her struggle alone for one year”. (ÇT/TK)