Human Rights Violations in Turkey Towards Transgender People

The climate of violence against transgender women continues with report of two murders in Turkey recently. In a letter to Turkish authorities in February 2010, four Turkish and international human rights organizations have demanded urgent actions to combat these killings.

The groups have asked authorities to enact anti-discrimination protection and revoke laws leading to harassment of stigmatized groups by the police.

Human Rights Violations and Protection of Transgender People in Turkey

"Without meaningful government action to affirm their rights and ensure their safety, transgender people in Turkey will continue to live in fear" states Juliana Cano Nieto, a researcher in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights program at Human Rights Watch.

Deaths of eight transgender people have been reported in Istanbul and Ankara since November 2008. On February 16, 2010 a transgender woman named Aycan Yener was brutally stabbed 17 times by three unidentified men in her apartment. However, no arrest has been made as yet.

Human Rights Violations Not Addressed by the Turkish Government

Two killers were sentenced to life in prison and two more are in pre-trial custody. However, effective steps have not yet been taken by the police for the protection of LGBT people in Turkey.

Being a member of the Council of Europe, other European bodies made appeals to Turkey to combat violence against the LGBT people. Further, the Turkish government was reminded to work on the cause by the European Union, to which the country is seeking membership.