LGBTI Activist Arat Tells Violence She was Subjected to

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At Human Rights Association (İHD) İstanbul Branch building, İstanbul LGBTI Solidarity Association Board Member Kıvılcım Arat has issued a statement for the press concerning the armed attack she faced in her home’s garden in Beyoğlu, İstanbul on May 11.

Arat’s friend was wounded in his belly and hand in the incident, and that the assailant was released to be tried without arrest.

Taking the stage first, Lawyer Eren Keskin stated that there is impunity for homophobic attacks and said, “The reason for this is that state is homophobic itself”.

Speaking after Keskin, Kıvılcım Arat explained how the attack occurred. Arat said that it was not the first attack carried out by her neighbor.

"He fired with shotgun"

According to Arat, the aforementioned figure insulted Arat while she was feeding the cats in the garden.

Stating that she was worried about losing her life space, she dropped the subject by apologizing.

However, her neighbor started to insult her when she was sitting with her friend in the garden on May 11. Arat tells:

“It turned into a quarrel. Upon that, my friend interfered and sent him away from the garden. The man then grabbed his shotgun from his home and fired on us. My friend got injured in his belly and hand”.

“He still continues to harass”

Telling that she called the police following the incident, Arat said that she was kept waiting for a long time without being informed and the police ill-treated her.

Arat stated that the assailant, who is being tried without arrest, continues to harass her, and said, “I am constantly being insulted over my sexual identity”.

Kip: The assailant has filed a complaint against us

Speaking after Arat, Lawyer Rozarin Seda Kip said that she went to Beyoğlu Police Station and added:

“Even though my client was assaulted with a gun, we were kept waiting for a long time at the police station like we were the suspects and our access to justice was prevented. We coincidentally learned in certificate of registry that the assailant has four shotguns”.

Kip added that the assailant received medical report of battery and filed a complaint against them.

They will demand protective order

Stating that the attack was against sexual identity, Kip said that they will demand protective order for Arat and her friends since it will take a long time for the case to conclude. (TS/TP/TK)