Prosecutor turns complainant trans woman into the suspect

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Trans woman Ajda Ender living in the Kurtuluş neighborhood of Şişli, İstanbul, is in a legal dispute with her neighbors who threatened to kill her since 2005.

She could not even enter her own house because her neighbors obtained a "restraining order" at the court. These were difficult times, during the Covid-19 pandemic. All of us were invited to "stay at home," but unfortunately Ajda could not. She could not go to her own house because of the complaints by her neighbors living in the same apartment building.

Ajda tells that Murat B., the lawyer of the neighbors who attacked her filed a complaint against Ajda at the prosecutor's office, only because she had made a complaint about their transphobic attacks at the same office.

İstanbul Chief Prosecutor's Office prepared an indictment, this time for Ajda, after the complaint of her neighbors, who she had complained about many times as the victim, some of which had started with indictments prepared and resulted in law cases.

The prosecutor's office claimed that Ajda had "insulted" Lawyer B. and that she disseminated personal information. And this indictment was accepted. Ajda will now be standing trial.

Therefore Ajda, who was seeking justice, and wanted those who attacked her to be punished, was announced "guilty" out of nowhere.

Heteropatriarchal prosecutor's office!

Ajda says, "My rights are violated once again with this case, and the prosecutor's office has a heteropatriarchal attitude. They are making me guilty in a file where I was the victim. This is violence against trans women. The prosecutors are trying to make trans women unworthy and silence them. They are trying to prevent them from claiming their legal rights."

Ajda sees the case against her as "intimidation." "They are telling me 'You should not claim your rights at the courthouse.' This is the summary of the event. Claiming your rights, going to court is announced as a crime for trans women," she says.

She also informs that in all cases against the "transphobic lawyer," and her neighbors, the lawsuits have been dismissed by the court.

This is not the only violation she suffered.

The prosecutor's office talks about Ajda in the indictment where she is the suspect, saying "Son of Arslan and Elmas..." This is also evaluated as legal harassment. Ajda has a trans woman identity but this is neglected by the prosecutor's office. Ajda insists on saying, "not the son of," not "son," "I am a woman."

Ajda is struggling against transphobia, and she is angry, she wants to be heard.

"This case is a medal, it is a cup for me, it is my honor. The prosecutor's office is saying, "Do not go to court against those who resort to violence against you, do not defend your right to life. I will also be struggling against this point of view from now on," she says.
So what happened to Ajda's neighbors who attacked her in the end?

They did not get any punishment in the cases. No punishment at all.

Ajda says, "The courts did not believe what I said, but acknowledged my neighbors right, who portrayed me as "immoral." Whereas they had inflicted violence against me.

We have heard Ajda's voice, and as it is our duty, we have published it. Now it is the turn of the heteropatriarchal legal system to do its job.

Let it be a new week when the struggle for equality gains speed! (EMK/PE)