Category Archives: LGBT Rights

Pride March Banned, Protestors attacked in Istanbul

Posted on June 28, 2015 by heissenstat

They are water cannoning anything that moves — Nick Ashdown (@Nick_Ashdown) June 28, 2015 For over a decade, the Pride March in Istanbul has been a centerpiece of Turkey’s active LGBTI community. For over a decade, it has been staged … Continue reading →

Posted in Freedom of Expression, LGBT Rights, Turkey | Tagged Freedom of Expression, LGBTI, Pride March, Turkey Istanbul | Comments Off

Reports: Another Murder of Transgender Woman in Turkey

Posted on July 10, 2013 by heissenstat

A number of media outlets have reported yet another murder of a transgender woman in Turkey, this time in the tourist town of Kusadasi. According to reports, Dora Özer was brutally murdered in a knife attack. Violent attacks on transgender … Continue reading →

Posted in Amnesty International, LGBT Rights, LGBTI | Comments Off

Protests, Arrests, and a Shooting

Posted on July 2, 2013 by heissenstat

The last few days have been eventful ones in Turkey. Pride Week ended with a huge and successful Pride March in Taksim. Amnesty has long campaigned on LGBTI Rights in Turkey. Discriminatiespot Turkije from AmnestyNL on Vimeo. There was darker … Continue reading →

Posted in Amnesty International, Excessive Force, Freedom of Assembly, Freedom of Expression, Kurds, LGBT Rights, LGBTI, Minorities, Turkey, Uncategorized | Tagged Amnesty International, Diyarbakir, excessive force, gay pride march, impunity, Lice, protests, Taksim, water cannon | Comments Off

Good news, bad news, and ridiculous news

Posted on June 24, 2013 by heissenstat

The good: the Pride March Let us take a moment to celebrate the important success of the Pride March that took place in Taksim this past Sunday. Amnesty had been concerned that Turkish authorities would restrict the march. As Amnesty … Continue reading →

Posted in Amnesty International, Freedom of Assembly, Freedom of Expression, LGBT Rights, Turkey | Tagged Amnesty, BBC, Bulent Arinc, Erdogan, excessive force, Freedom of Assembly, Freedom of Expression, Gokcek, Human Rights, LGBTI, Soros, Turkey | Comments Off

More police violence against peaceful protestors in Istanbul

Posted on June 22, 2013 by heissenstat

Thousands gathered with flowers in #taksim square in #istanbul but police used tear gas and water cannon again. #gezipark — muratcekic (@muratcekic) June 22, 2013 Turkish protestors have demonstrated remarkable creativity in their response to government efforts to stifle their … Continue reading →

Posted in Excessive Force, Freedom of Assembly, Freedom of Association, LGBT Rights, LGBTI, Turkey | Tagged Amnesty International, Erdogan, excessive force, Gezi Park, Istanbul, LGBT, LGBTI, Pride March, protests | Comments Off

Amnesty International Annual Report 2013 on Turkey: Ten Major Issues Highlighted.

Posted on May 23, 2013 by heissenstat

Amnesty International has just issued its annual report for 2013 and the section on Turkey is, once again, grim reading. It included ten major issues of concern 1. Some of the worst abuses remain in the area of freedom of … Continue reading →

Posted in Amnesty International, Conscientious Objection, Excessive Force, Freedom of Association, Freedom of Expression, Kurds, LGBT Rights, PKK, Press Freedom, Refugees, Turkey | Tagged Abuses by Armed Groups, Amnesty International, Conscientious Objectors, Due Process, excessive force, Fair Trial, Freedom of Expression, Human Rights, impunity, LGBT Rights, PKK, pre-trial detention, Refugees and Asylum-Seekers, Shelters, Torture, Turkey, Violence against women | Comments Off

State Department Report on Human Rights in Turkey

Posted on April 21, 2013 by heissenstat

The U.S. Department of State has released its annual country report on Human Rights in Turkey, outlining some areas of improvement and drawing attention to some major deficiencies in Turkey’s record over the past year. The report noted the full … Continue reading →

Posted in Academic Freedom, Amnesty International, Excessive Force, Freedom of Association, Freedom of Expression, Internet Freedom, LGBT Rights, Turkey, Uncategorized | Tagged Erdgoan, Freedom of Expression, Human Rights, Human Rights Report, LGBT, State Department, Turkey | Comments Off

The #1 Human Rights Issue in Turkey (in case you were wondering)

Posted on February 21, 2013 by heissenstat

You may have wondered what the most pressing human rights issue in Turkey might be. The on-going issue of impunity? Torture and police abuse? Attacks on the press? Perhaps, the basic question of freedom of expression… Not any of these, … Continue reading →

Posted in LGBT Rights, Turkey | Tagged adoption, LGBT Rights, Turkey | Comments Off

Human Rights Watch: Revise or Repeal Internet Law 5651

Posted on December 24, 2012 by heissenstat

Human Rights Watch has issued an important assessment of the Ahmet Yıldırım internet case. On December 18, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Turkey had violated the right to freedom of expression through an overly broad blocking of … Continue reading →

Posted in Amnesty International, Freedom of Expression, Internet Freedom, LGBT Rights, Press Freedom, Turkey | Tagged Ahmet Yildirim, Freedom of Expression, human rights watch, internet freedom, Turkey | Comments Off

Five Dangers for the LGBT Community in Turkey

Posted on December 17, 2012 by heissenstat

Amnesty USA Turkey Country Specialist, Howard Eissenstat, outlines the dangers and challenges facing the LGBT community in Turkey in this blog for Amnesty’s Human Rights Now… and suggests ways that we can help.

Posted in Amnesty International, Freedom of Expression, LGBT Rights, Turkey, Uncategorized | Tagged Ali Erol, Amnesty International, David Kato Vision & Voice Award, KAOS-GL, LGBT Rights, Turkey | Comments Off