The Second Hearing of the Case of Closing Down of Lambdaistanbul Was Held!
07/11/2007
By
Lambdaistanbul LGBTT Solidarity Association
The Second Hearing of the Case of Closing Down of Lambdaistanbul Was Held!
On October 18th, Thursday, the second hearing of the court case for closing down of Lambdaistanbul was held at the 3rd court of Beyoglu Sutluce Courthouse. According to the decision of this hearing, our case will be examined by the an expert determined by the court, Asst. Prof. Dr. Tufan Öğüz, an assistant professor of the Istanbul University Law Faculty, and the next hearing will be held on the 31st of January, 2008 Thursday at 10.40 am.
In order to support Lambdaistanbul during this process, approximately 40 people have gathered in front of the courthouse on the hearing day. There hadn’t been a press conference because of the lack of participation of the media and the press; however the press release of Lambdaistanbul was distributed to the members of the media and the press who have come to the trial. At the end of the hearing, after having some interviews with various media members, a picture was taken in order to show that “We exist and we are here”.
The general atmosphere before and during the hearing was considerably positive. After consulting the opinions of our lawyers, we expect that the next hearing will be the last one and a decision in favor of us will be made.
We now aim to organize a bigger campaign, both on national and international scale till the next hearing. Condemning this judicial procedure, which considers the existence of the LGBT individuals, an immoral phenomenon and non-existent in the society, we do not want it to be taken so long. Even the existence of a trial to close down an association that is struggling for the rights of LGBT individuals is a judicial scandal.
At the first hearing on July 19th, we had given our opinions on the subject along with the texts of the experts from various fields who had also expressed their own opinions on the subject. On the subject of human rights, Prof. Dr. Turgut Tarhanlı; Asst. Prof. Dr. Yesim Atamer, as a specialist on the civil code have given their opinions along with Prof. Dr. Sahika Yüksel, president of the Turkish Association for Psychiatry (TPD); Dr. Nesrin Yetkin, president of the Association for Sexual Education, Treatment and Research (CETAD); and as a social psychologist, Prof. Dr. Melek Göregenli have stated within the texts they have presented to the court that Lambdaistanbul should not be closed down in order to terminate the homophobia within the society while emphasizing the importance of the freedom of association.
In the light of all these facts, we hope that a decision in favor of us, as an outcome of the next hearing will be made. Hopefully the next trial will be the last one and it will take the place it deserves in the legal system of Turkey.
We would like to thank again to all the individuals and the institutions that have supported us during our trial process.
On October 18th, Thursday, the second hearing of the court case for closing down of Lambdaistanbul was held at the 3rd court of Beyoglu Sutluce Courthouse. According to the decision of this hearing, our case will be examined by the an expert determined by the court, Asst. Prof. Dr. Tufan Öğüz, an assistant professor of the Istanbul University Law Faculty, and the next hearing will be held on the 31st of January, 2008 Thursday at 10.40 am.
In order to support Lambdaistanbul during this process, approximately 40 people have gathered in front of the courthouse on the hearing day. There hadn’t been a press conference because of the lack of participation of the media and the press; however the press release of Lambdaistanbul was distributed to the members of the media and the press who have come to the trial. At the end of the hearing, after having some interviews with various media members, a picture was taken in order to show that “We exist and we are here”.
The general atmosphere before and during the hearing was considerably positive. After consulting the opinions of our lawyers, we expect that the next hearing will be the last one and a decision in favor of us will be made.
We now aim to organize a bigger campaign, both on national and international scale till the next hearing. Condemning this judicial procedure, which considers the existence of the LGBT individuals, an immoral phenomenon and non-existent in the society, we do not want it to be taken so long. Even the existence of a trial to close down an association that is struggling for the rights of LGBT individuals is a judicial scandal.
At the first hearing on July 19th, we had given our opinions on the subject along with the texts of the experts from various fields who had also expressed their own opinions on the subject. On the subject of human rights, Prof. Dr. Turgut Tarhanlı; Asst. Prof. Dr. Yesim Atamer, as a specialist on the civil code have given their opinions along with Prof. Dr. Sahika Yüksel, president of the Turkish Association for Psychiatry (TPD); Dr. Nesrin Yetkin, president of the Association for Sexual Education, Treatment and Research (CETAD); and as a social psychologist, Prof. Dr. Melek Göregenli have stated within the texts they have presented to the court that Lambdaistanbul should not be closed down in order to terminate the homophobia within the society while emphasizing the importance of the freedom of association.
In the light of all these facts, we hope that a decision in favor of us, as an outcome of the next hearing will be made. Hopefully the next trial will be the last one and it will take the place it deserves in the legal system of Turkey.
We would like to thank again to all the individuals and the institutions that have supported us during our trial process.
