LGBTI+ associations from Türkiye, vow to fight “unacceptable” judicial package, citing “serious threats” beyond rumored removal of hate clauses
| LGBTI+ associations from Türkiye, vow to fight “unacceptable” judicial package, citing “serious threats” beyond rumored removal of hate clauses. A powerful coalition of 15 LGBTI+ organizations from Türkiye has declared it will intensify its fight against the government’s controversial “11th Judicial Package,” warning the public against “complacency” even as unverified reports claim specific anti-LGBTI+ “hate provisions” have been removed from the draft. In a joint statement, the rights groups expressed deep skepticism about the claims, suggesting they could be a “deliberate” government tactic “to neutralize public outrage and pacify social opposition.” The statement, signed by all registered organizations, thanked feminist movements, women’s organizations, trade unions, and other civil society allies for their “strong and collective response” that reportedly forced the government to reconsider the discriminatory clauses. However, the activists remain vigilant. “This strong and collective response has once again proven the power of social opposition,” the statement read, but it cautioned that “this does not change the anti-democratic intent of the government.” The coalition highlighted that nearly identical hate provisions were previously included in a “10th Judicial Package” and were “postponed only thanks to our struggle and public pressure.” They warn that even if the clauses are removed now, the government will likely reintroduce them “under the guise of the ‘family year'” or as part of a future constitutional amendment. Package “Unacceptable” Even Without Hate ClausesCrucially, the organizations argued that the 11th Judicial Package remains “unacceptable even in its current form,” posing “serious threats to society at large.”The statement identifies two other key areas of concern: Children’s Rights: The package includes regulations concerning “children pushed into crime (CDC)” that the groups argue “do not aim to protect children, but to further criminalize them” and “disregard the principle of the child’s best interests.” Right to Protest: An amendment introduced as a “traffic regulation” is condemned as a disguised attempt to “effectively obstruct the constitutional right to protest and demonstration and suppress street opposition.” The coalition described this as “a step toward silencing not only the voices of LGBTI+ people, but all segments of society seeking their rights and justice.” The 15 signatory organizations have vowed to continue their struggle against the entire package, calling on the public “to remain vigilant against these attacks… to stand shoulder to shoulder, and to strengthen solidarity.” Full Text of the Joint Statement |
International and Comparative SOGIESC Law - Professor Andreas R Ziegler 