Trans Woman Ajda Ender on Parliamentary Agenda

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Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) MP Züleyha Gülüm has addressed a Parliamentary question to Minister of Family, Labor and Social Services Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk, asking her a series of questions on the transphobic attacks against transgender woman Ajda Ender.

As previously reported by bianet, living in İstanbul, trans woman Ender cannot go home due to the transphobic attack of her neighbors.

'She is under grave threat'

In her Parliamentary question addressed to Minister Selçuk, HDP MP Gülüm has summarized the issue briefly as follows:

"Trans woman Ajda Ender has informed me that she cannot enter the house which she owns due to the transphobic attacks of her neighbors, she lives in fear and she is constantly threatened with death.

"Together with her, her mother, maternal aunt, cousin and the children of her cousin are also under grave threat.

"Hate crimes bring about a devastating effect. Ajda cannot go outside as her right to life is denied, she cannot access the textile products that she uses to make a living because she cannot go home as her housing right is denied. She is subjected to isolation, othering and labeling in many areas and condemned to death both socially and economically.

'She was told 'You don't have the right to life"'

"Her neighbors' violence against Ajda Ender started with hate speech in 2005 and has intensified by turning into sexual, economic and physical violence.

"Ajda Ender, who is a university student and works in the business of textile, says that she kept silent in the early years and was engaged in herself and her job; however, the level of violence has gradually increased and her life has now turned into a nightmare.

"Ajda alleges that she was raped by M.B., threatened with death and subjected to blackmailing through slanders. She was subjected to hate speech, systematic violence and ill treatment by M.B. as well as by her neighbors Ş.A., N.A., A.T. and R.T., who said to her, 'Get out of here. You don't have the right to life. You have to be killed.' She was beaten with sticks for many times and her house was broken into.

"While Ajda was the victim of her neighbors' transphobic violence and discrimination, she says that her neighbors called the police and she was also threatened before the police who came to the apartment. Moreover, she had to constantly depose due to numerous fake tips.

'Prejudiced, othering attitude of law enforcement'

"In March 2019, she went to the Feriköy Police Department to file a criminal complaint. She says that, this time, she was subjected to the prejudiced and othering attitude of law enforcement officers there.

"The officers at the police department did not want to receive the complaint of Ajda, interfered with her complaint petition and made transphobic remarks such as 'It must be due to your looks.'

"The fact that the requests and complaints of hate crime victims such as Ajda are not taken seriously by the people representing the state and that they are met with mocking, judgemental attitudes, which sometimes even protect the criminals, hate crimes are becoming more and more prevalent in Turkey."

'Will you restore her violated fundamental rights?'

Against this background, HDP MP Züleyha Gülüm has addressed the following questions to Minister Selçuk:

* Will you take any initiative to restore trans woman Ajda Ender's violated fundamental rights, especially her right to life, and her human dignity?

* Is the multidimensional violence suffered by Ajda Ender within your knowledge? What is the consequence of complaints and judicial process?

* Is any investigation launched against M.B.? If so, what is the current stage of this investigation? If there is such an investigation, for what reason and on what legal basis is this investigation launched?

* How many trans women have been killed in the term of your government? How many perpetrators have been put on trial and how many of them have benefited from provocation and good conduct abatement?

* Is there any public officer legally or administratively investigated due to 'gender identity' and 'gender orientation' based hate crimes and speeches during the term of your government?

* Why are there no training programs that will prevent the discriminating and derogatory attitudes of public officers towards trans people, especially judges, prosecutors and law enforcement officers and that will raise their awareness about the issue? (EMK/SD)