Hürriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mayıs 12, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - A Democratic Society Party, or DTP, Diyarbakır deputy, Akın Birdal, has sent a series of question proposals to Parliament, asking the prime minister about details of legal procedures regarding transgender murders in Turkey.
The list of questions proposed by Birdal asking about the nature of investigation procedures into these murders, the degree of punishments implemented and if any plans were being put into place for the Turkish Constitution, the penal code and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and transgender organizations, or LGBTT, to establish new legal measures against such crimes.
In his proposal Birdal highlighted the increase in attacks against transsexuals, transvestites and homosexual’s. "In all social and political systems the right to live is the most consecrated right, and therefore the government needs to protect transgender citizens, who are increasingly being put under threat by society," Birdal said.
Birdal said there has been no formal explanation about the recent transgender murder cases. He said there are no organizations provided by the Police Department where citizens can seek help when they feel threatened or after they becomes victims of an attack.
Birdal gave an example of a court case from the 11th High Criminal court in Ankara in September 2008, stating that the criminals that attack transgender citizens often come from organized groups that carry out persistent attacks on the victims. These attacks result in transgender citizens being forced out of their neighborhoods. "Organizations need to be established to help protect these citizens and enable them to seek refuge and help in threatening cases," Bridal said.