International Rights Organizations: End Targeted Attacks Against LGBTI+ in Turkey

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11 international rights organizations have released a written statement about the hate speech and targeted attacks against the LGBTI+ in Turkey.

The statement of the organizations has come in the wake of a Friday sermon released by the Presidency of Religious Affairs that targeted the LGBTI+s in the country and investigations against the Ankara and Diyarbakır Bars over their statements condemning this hate speech.

As reported by Kaos GL, within this context, the international human rights organizations have reminded Turkey of its responsibility to "respect, guarantee, protect and fulfil the fundamental rights of the LGBTI community without discrimination as enshrined by the Constitution."

The organizations have briefly stated the following:

'Yet another escalation of an ongoing attack'

"We, the undersigned human rights organisations, are concerned about rising hateful rhetoric against the LGBTI community by representatives of high-level religious and political institutions in Turkey which we have seen in the last week. These efforts are part of a broader backlash on human rights targeting various minorities.

"Considering the systematic attacks and bans that Turkey's LGBTI movement has experienced at the hands of Turkish authorities since 2017, the statements by the chief of religious affairs and endorsed by President Erdogan are yet another escalation of an ongoing attack from state institutions against the LGBTI community, and further endanger the work of LGBTI rights defenders in the country. The attacks on the LGBTI community unfortunately have become exemplary of efforts by the Turkish government to undermine human rights and the rule of law in the country.

'Pandemic used to undermine rights of marginalized groups'

"It is particularly concerning that the Turkish government is using the moment of the global COVID-19 pandemic to undermine the fundamental rights of marginalized groups in society.

"Stirring up hatred could exacerbate existing inequalities and likely lead to further discrimination in the provision of health care services, employment and other services that are vital in times of crisis.

"It may also lead to arbitrary arrests, ill-treatment, persecution and surveillance by law enforcement authorities – who might feel that such acts are condoned or even encouraged by the government.

'Government is obliged to protect LGBTI people'

"The Turkish government has an obligation to protect everyone from hate crime and discrimination, and should not be part of any statements that could encourage hate crimes and target a minority group, including LGBTI people.

"Turkey's government should ensure that all of its representatives refrain from making statements that stigmatise lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people and people living with HIV, and which put them at risk of harassment and attacks.

"Human rights defenders should not be criminalised for speaking out against homophobic statements by state officials, and therefore criminal investigations against those speaking out, such as the Ankara and Diyarbakır Bar Associations, should be dropped immediately.

'Religious beliefs cannot be used to justify rights violations'

"We reiterate the statement of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, in which he clearly states that religious beliefs cannot be used to justify LGBTI rights violations nor be invoked as legitimate 'justification' for violence or discrimination against LGBTI people, and that the right to freedom of religion protects individuals and not religions as such.

"We recall that as a founding member of the United Nations, Turkey pledged to protect inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family. In addition, as a Member State of the Council of Europe and having ratified the ECHR, Turkey must uphold European human rights law, which prohibits a discriminatory application of human rights.

"The Turkish government should ensure that all of its representatives refrain from making statements that stigmatise LGBTI people and people living with HIV, and which put them at risk of harassment and attack."

What happened?

In his Friday sermon (khutbah) on April 24, President of Religious Affairs Ali Erbaş targeted LGBTI+s and the ones living with HIV.

Erbaş briefly stated the following:

"People! Islam accepts adultery as one of the greatest harams. It curses the people of Lot, the homosexuality. What is the wisdom of this? The wisdom here is that it brings diseases and degenerates the generation. Hundreds of thousands of people a year are exposed to the HIV virus caused by this great haram, which passes as adultery in the Islamic Literature. Let's come and fight together to protect people from this kind of evil."

Several rights organizations, politicians and bar associations condemned these remarks. Both Ankara Bar Association and Human Rights Association (İHD) filed a criminal complaint against Erbaş.

Noting that Erbaş spread hate with his statements, Ankara Bar warned that "if Erbaş remained in office despite his remarks about LGBTI+s, women and children, no one should be surprised if, in his next speech, he called on people to light torches and burn women as witches at the squares."

The Bar also argued that with his statements, Ali Erbaş, "whose voice was coming from ages ago, incited the public to enmity and hatred by presiding over a state institution and building his discourse on values held sacred."

In response to this statement, the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation against Ankara Bar Association on April 27. The Presidency of Religious Affairs also filed a criminal complaint against its executives on the same day.

The Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office also launched an investigation against the executives of the Diyarbakır Bar due to their statement condemning the remarks of Ali Erbaş. The executives face the possible charge of "degrading religious values." (EMK/SD)

(EMK/SD)