LGBT rights activists and organizations in Istanbul need your support and solidarity more than ever.

We are sincerely concerned about the levels of police brutality and the use of crowd control technologies the public is being exposed to in Istanbul. As you may have followed on social media and some international channels and newspapers, for close to three weeks, as LGBT block in solidarity with several different groups and organizations, we have been resisting to defend our right to peaceful assembly. Since the last 1st of May, Governor of İstanbul effectively closed Taksim area to all kind of marches and peaceful demonstrations by brutally attacking protestors.

Our next big events, Trans Pride March on June 23rd and LGBT Pride March on June 30th in Istanbul are threatened under current circumstances. These two events bring together thousands of LGBTs and allies in Istanbul and we are concerned for our safety. For detailed information about the last three weeks of resistance in Turkey, click http://onurhaftasi.tumblr.com/post/53364099203/lgbt-block-an-account-of-our-three-weeks-resistance

What can you do to support us?

• You can spread our call among your contacts

• You can participate in both of our marches and invite your friends & colleagues

• You can send protest letters to the Turkish Embassy in your own country claiming your concerns about the safety of LGBT activists in the coming Pride marches. (see letter below)

• You can show your solidarity for our cause carrying the logo of our resistance during your own pride marches Resistanbul Pride March (image at the end) or you can organize press declarations in front of Turkish Embassies in your cities. Please share your pictures with us!)

In solidarity,

21st Istanbul LGBT Pride Week and March Committee

Letter to Turkish Embassies

Dear Mr/Mrs Ambassador,

People in various cities of Turkey are facing heavy police brutality since the last three weeks of demonstrations which started as a peaceful resistance act against the destruction of Gezi Park for the construction of a shopping mall. LGBT activists have always been at the forefront during these three weeks and resisted in solidarity with all social movements together for their right to assembly. The AKP government is denying its citizens their democratic right to peaceful assembly and it is attacking the demonstrators with tear gas and pressure water. In the upcoming weeks there will be two events of crucial importance for LGBTs in Taksim area. Trans Pride March which is going to take place on 23th of June and LGBT Pride March in Istanbul on 30thare under serious threat due to current circumstances.

I am deeply concerned about the security of LGBT people attending these marches and I am calling on you Mr/Mrs Ambassador to ensure that the upcoming Trans Pride March and LGBT Pride March takes place safely. I am also calling on you to urge the Government of Turkey to stop the violence against its people and recognize its citizens democratic rights.

Sincerely,

Signature

Les organisations et les activistes pour les droits des LGBT d’Istanbul ont besoin de votre soutien et votre solidarité plus de jamais.

Nous sommes sincèrement inquiets du degré de brutalité de la police et de l’utilisation de technologies de contrôle des foules auxquelles les gens sont exposés à Istanbul. Comme vous l’avez peut être suivi sur les réseaux sociaux et dans certains journaux et sur certaines chaînes internationales, depuis près de trois semaines, comme bloc LGBT en solidarité avec de nombreux groupes et organisations, nous avons résisté pour défendre notre droit au rassemblement pacifique. Depuis le 1er mai, le gouverneur d’Istanbul a fermé la zone de Taksim à tout type de marches et de rassemblement pacifique en attaquant brutalement les manifestants.

Notre prochain grand événement, la marche des fiertés transsexuelles le 23 juin et la marche des fiertés homosexuelles le 30 juin à Istanbul sont menacées par les circonstances actuelles. Ces deux événements rassemblent des milliers de personnes LGBT et leurs alliés et nous sommes inquiets pour notre sécurité. Pour des informations détaillées sur les trois dernières semaines de résistance en Turquie, cliquez http://onurhaftasi.tumblr.com/post/53364099203/lgbt-block-an-account-of-our-three-weeks-resistance.

Que pouvez-vous faire pour nous soutenir ?

· Vous pouvez diffuser cet appel dans vos contacts

· Vous pouvez participer dans nos deux marches et inviter vos amis et collègues

· Vous pouvez envoyer des lettres de protestations aux ambassades turques dans votre pays en affirmant vos inquiétudes sur la sécurité des activistes LGBT dans les marches des fiertés à venir (voir la lettre finale)

· Vous pouvez montrer votre solidarité à notre cause en portant le logo de notre résistance pendant votre propre marche des fiertés, Resistanbul Pride March (image à lá fin) ou vous pouvez organiser des conférences de presse devant les ambassades turques dans vos villes. Merci de nous envoyer vos images !)

En solidarité

Le comité de la 21ème semaine et marche des fiertés LGBT

lettre aux ambassades turques

Monsieur/Madame l’ambassadeur/l’ambassadrice

Des personnes dans divers villes de Turquie font face à de graves brutalités policières depuis les trois dernières semaines de manifestations qui ont commencé comme un acte de résistance pacifique contre la destruction du parc Gezi en vue de la construction d’un centre commercial. Les activistes LGBT ont toujours été aux avant-postes pendant ces trois semaines et ont résisté en solidarité avec tous les mouvements sociaux pour leur droit de rassemblement. Le gouvernement AKP prive ses citoyens de leur droit démocratique au rassemblement pacifique et attaque les manifestants avec des gaz lacrymogènes et des canons à eau. Deux évènements cruciaux pour les LGBT vont avoir lieu dans les semaines à venir à Taksim. La marche des fiertés transsexuelles, qui va avoir lieu le 23 juin et la marche des fiertés LGBT le 30 juin sont sérieusement menacées vue les circonstances actuelles.

Je suis extrêmement inquiet de la sécurité des personnes LGBT qui vont participer à ces marches et je fais appel à vous Madame/Monsieur l’ambassadrice/l’ambassadeur pour vous assurer que la marche des fiertés transsexuelles et la marche des fiertés LGBT puissent avoir lieu en sécurité. Je fais aussi appel à vous pour exhorter le gouvernement turc à stopper la violence contre ses citoyens et leur reconnaître des droits démocratiques.

Sincèrement

Signature

JOINT PUBLIC STATEMENT OF GREEK LGBT ORGANIZATIONS

Subject: "Arbitrary arrests of transgender people and unlawful detention of the defender of their rights - a lawyer."

The signatory organizations that support the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, with this public statement are expressing their deep concern for the recent events in Thessaloniki, as documented in press releases of the Greek Transgender Support Association and the Hellenic Action for Human Rights – “Pleiades”, and are teaming against transphobic massive and arbitary arrests of transgender people and the targeting of human rights defenders by the police in Thessaloniki, just before the Thessaloniki Pride.

We condemn unequivocally:

systematic arbitrary arrests of transgender people by the Police in Thessaloniki, during which the arrested remain for many hours locked up in jail without being informed on the reason for their detention, and despite not having the status of detainees.

abuse of the police against transgender people.

the utterly illegal -and defying the Rule of Law- detention of the defender of transgender persons, Athens lawyer Electra Koutra in the early hours of Wednesday, 5 June 2013 at the Police Station of Democratias Square in Thessaloniki.

We call upon the authorities:

to conduct a thorough investigation into the arbitrary arrests of transgender people, the behavior of police officers towards them and the conditions under which they were deprived of their liberty during these systematic arrests

to conduct a thorough investigation and to identify all those responsible for the illegal detention and arbitrariness of police officers servicemen in Police Station of Democratias Square against the Athens Lawyer Electra Koutra, who had visited the Police Station in order to clarify the nature and the reason for the detention of an arrested transgender person as part of rightful support.

We declare that we will monitor closely the progress of the case of the unlawful deprivation of liberty and other offences against transgender persons, and we will await the findings of the Swoen Administrative Investigation, and also the findings of Prosecutor’s Inquiry on arbitrary detention and the degrading treatment of Electra Koutra, Lawyer - defender of Justice and Chair of Hellenic Action for Human Rights – “Pleiades”, who has stood up as an advocate of the rightful claims of the LGBT community.

THE ORGANIZATIONS

Greek Transgender Support Association

Hellenic Action for Human Rights – “Pleiades”

Greek Gay & Lesbian Community

Colour Youth, LGBT Youth Community of Athens

Good as You(th), LGBT Youth Community of Thessaloniki.

Lesbian Group of Athens

Lesb. Equal – Lesbians for Equality

Athens Pride

Thessaloniki Pride

HOMOphonia – Thessaloniki Pride

World without wars and violence

Positive Voice

Act Up – ΔΡΑΣΕ Hellas

Synthesis

Sympraxi - Partnership for Gender Issues

Rainbow Families

Proud Press

Queertrans

Lgbt / Red