The Court Says No To Gays, Shuts Down Lambdaistanbul

The sixth hearing of Lambdaistanbul Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transvestite Transsexual (LGBTT) Solidarity Association was at Sütlüce, Beyoğlu 3^rd Court of First Instance in İstanbul yesterday (May 29). The law suit was filed for the crime of “violating public morality.”

The court decided to shut down the association.

Lambdaistanbul is the largest gay/queer liberation group in Turkey. It was formed by a small number of gays and lesbians following the ban on Christopher Street Day celebrations in 1993. Lambdaistanbul has grown in membership and raises its voice on behalf of the gay communities in Istanbul.

“The State ignores the existence of gay people”

Active in İstanbul since 1993, Lambdaistanbul became an association in May 2006. İstanbul governorship asked the public prosecutor to file a suit against them on the basis of having an unlawful and immoral charter. Although the prosecutor refused the request, stating that they are protected by the freedom of association, the governorship went ahead and filed a lawsuit on its own. 

Fırat Söyle, the lawyer of the association, told Bianet that the association was shut down in accordance with the 17^th article of the Law on Associations, and article 60/2 of the Turkish Civil Law. He added that they were planning to appeal it.

According to the information provided by Söyle, the Provincial Directorate of Associations had told them on June 14 that the goals that were defined in their charter were unlawful and immoral and their name was not Turkish. They were given a month to fix the problems.

At the end of the legal period, Lambdaistanbul informed the authorities that their name and their goals were not in violation.

Although, says Söyle, he does not know the legal ground behind the decision, he gives the following interpretation:

“The decision ignores the changes that the association put into effect during the legal period. It shows the state perspective on sexual identity and morality. This is nothing other than a state mentality of domination in practice. They ignore all those who wander outside the boundaries of the accepted standards.”

“Association means solidarity, organization” says Söyle. He further adds that the state is not comfortable with gay people getting together, with homosexuality and it does not recognize it. He said that they were going to appeal the decision.

İzlem Aybastı, one of the volunteers that make up the association, says that it is not over yet, they will continue the struggle for their rights.

Lambda is not the only association with a non-Turkish name

Lambda stands for the Greek letter L and has been used as the symbol of the homosexual freedom in many struggles in the history of the world.

Some associations with non-Turkish names, which can be seen on the internet site of the Directorate of Associations, are Soroptomist Asociaiton, Musiki Association, Lions Club,  the multiple sclerosis association. (EZÖ/GG)

Lambdaistanbul describes its goal as such:

“Lambdaistanbul is an organization run by volunteers only. Our main goal is a society free from all kinds of discrimination, while our main focus is heterosexism. We are organized in a horizontal, non-hierarchical manner, so we don't have a chairperson, or any hierarchical structure, but we do have commissions formed by volunteers for various issues.”