Republican People’s Party (CHP) requested an inquiry yesterday from the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) to find solutions for the problems of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. The request for the inquiry was prepared by Istanbul deputy of CHP, Binnaz Toprak and signed by 59 CHP deputies, including Toprak.
CHP demanded legal protection on sexual orientation and gender identity and highlighted hate crimes and discrimination LGBTs face at the workplace, police violence, stigmatization and discrimination.
The request points at a political context that disregards LGBTs and states that the request aims at “lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender citizens of the Turkish Republic [being able] to express their identities as freely as any other citizen.”
The inquiry underlined that the Law on Protection of Family and Prevention of Violence Against Women does not include the term “sexual orientation and gender identity” and the opposition party’s bid for the inclusion of the term was rejected by the ruling party AKP.
It is also requested the term to be included in Article 5 of the Labor Code, which prohibits discrimination.
The request made it clear that political attitudes towards LGBT issues determines how LGBT citizens are treated by state institutions.
You can read the full text of the request in Turkish at this link
by Ali ErolTranslation: Ömer Akpinar
Source – KAOS GL
