Around 20 trans women were taken to a police station in İstanbul’s Beyoğlu district on Jul 31, after being stopped by police on the street, while shopping, or sitting in cafés, for identity checks.
Although no official reason for detention was provided, the women were held at the Taksim Şehit Haşim Usta Police Station and on the street outside before being released following background checks known as General Information Gathering (GBT).
Legal experts argue that such GBT checks violate Article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which guarantees personal liberty and security.
'They had brought whomever they found'
One of the women, Samira, described what happened: “While walking down the street, three or four plainclothes officers approached us. We were all in different locations, just walking or sitting. When they stopped me, I asked why. They said a team would come to take me to the station. When I asked again, they gave no reason. After a short argument, I said, ‘Fine, let the team come.’
“While in the police car, I was contacting lawyers. They told me to turn off my phone, but I said I wasn’t under arrest and had the right to use it. There were three of us in the vehicle. When we arrived at the station, I was shocked to see 15 to 20 other women, some older. They had brought whomever they found.”
Profiling concerns
No fines were issued under the Misdemeanors Law, Samira said, but she believes the women were profiled: “Especially the older women struggled. They weren’t even allowed to use the bathroom. I asked, ‘Are you doing your business in front of the door? Wherever you use it, you will bring them there too. If you’re going to detain us, at least don’t strip us of more rights. Arrest the real offenders instead.’ Eventually, they allowed them to use the restroom.”
“They held us without reason. When we asked to be released, they said, ‘An officer will come.’ But we wanted to leave immediately.
"After we clapped and insisted on our rights, they couldn’t keep us any longer. They took our names and let us go. But even that was unlawful. They didn’t fine us, but they documented us. The new law hasn’t even passed yet, but they’re already enforcing it on us.”
'We will not abandon our living spaces'
The organizing committee of the 11th İstanbul Trans+ Pride Week condemned the incident in a statement, claiming that trans residents of Beyoğlu are being forcibly removed from their living spaces.
“For days, trans women in Beyoğlu have faced police violence, surveillance, drones over their homes, and the threat of arrest,” the statement said. “Today, police units and drones surrounded their neighborhoods to push them out of their homes.”
“The so-called enforcement of the Misdemeanors Law hides who the real offenders are. Trans women brought to the police station under fabricated laws responded with chants of ‘rights, law, justice’ and applause, reaffirming that our existence cannot be silenced or displaced by state pressure.”
“Drones, detentions, threats, and torture... These attacks stem from systemic hate targeting our homes, bodies, and lives. But we will stay and resist your cruelty. Trans solidarity will overcome forced displacement. Trans people will not be silenced. We are not silent. We are not afraid. We are not leaving. We will not abandon our living spaces.”
(TY/VK)
