[VIA TGEU'S TRANS-INFO-EUROPE EMAIL LIST]

4th European Transgender Council delegates attacked - press release
and declaration

Dear all,

The 4th European Transgender Council just came to a closure. Its
success was over-shaded by an attack on three delegates on Saturday.
Please see the declaration of the delegates of the 4th European
Transgender Council and the press release of Transgender Europe and
TENI on the incident.

Best,

Richard

Richard Kohler
Policy & Capacity Officer

Transgender Europe - TGEU
www.tgeu.org
richard@tgeu.org
+49(0)177 65 31 518
www.facebook.com/TransRightsEurope
4th European Transgender Council - Dublin - 07-09 Sep 2012

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Declaration of the 4th European Transgender Council on transphobic and
racist violence and harassment, targeted at three Council participants


We the participants and organizers of this 4th European Transgender
Council condemn the transphobic attack directed towards three
participants of our Council in Dublin - two of the newly elected
steering committee members and a Council of Europe official. Two years
ago delegates were attacked during the 3rd European Transgender
Council in Malmo (Sweden). We are shocked and deeply concerned that
this type of violence has been repeated in Ireland. Once again it has
been proven that no space is a safe space for trans people.

On Saturday night, 8th September 2012, a group of ten delegates were
on their way to the Council’s social events in the Temple Bar
District. Two persons, unknown to them, targeted our Turkish Steering
Committee member, Kemal Ordek, and physically and verbally attacked
hir and hirs colleague Laura LePrince from France. Lauri Sivonen,
Advisor to the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, intervened to
protect the delegates and the attackers spat in his face before
leaving the scene. Due to the fact that their first target was one of
our Turkish delegates, we assume that the attack was not only based on
trans- and homophobia, but as well on racism and xenophobia.

Lauri Sivonen, accompanied by a representative of TENI, reported the
incident on Saturday night to An Garda Síochána. Kemal Ördek and Laura
LePrince will give a report at the garda station as well. The gardai
are expected to ensure that the delegates will have a chance to report
in a safer space with respect to their gender identity and expression.
TGEU has been assured that TENI will observe and follow up on the
process.

In view of the above,

We require An Garda Síochána to

- Investigate this case quickly, properly and without any trans-,
-homo- or xenophobic or racist prejudice.

- Implement a trans-inclusive monitoring system that will effectively
record transphobic incidences.

- Have LGBT trained liaison officers on duty 24 hours.

- Collaborate with TENI to make Dublin and Ireland a safer space for
trans people.

We demand that the State of Ireland

- Ensure that gender identity and gender expression are explicitly
covered by equality legislation and work to develop hate crime
legislation that protects all trans people.

- Collaborate with Irish trans organizations and support their work to
make Ireland a country that does not tolerate bigotry, discrimination
or violence against trans people.

- Raise awareness that trans people’s equality and human rights must
always be respected thus making sure that such incidents cease to
happen.

- Protect trans people's private life through gender recognition
legislation that fully respect human rights according to the
Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe’s
Recommendations and the Yogyakarta Principles.

Dublin, 9th September 2012.
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TGEU – Transgender Europe
Postal Address: Amiralsgatan 88A, 214 37 Malmo, Sweden

MEDIA RELEASE

Dublin, September 9th 2012

There is no safe space for Transgender People!

Delegates of the Fourth European Transgender Council in Dublin
harassed in the streets at night


On Saturday September 8th three delegates of the fourth European
Transgender Council where verbally harassed and physically attacked in
the streets of Dublin when they were on their way to the conference
party. One of the victims was Lauri Sivonen, Advisor to the
Commissioner of Human Rights of the Council of Europe. The attack
shows striking similarities with an incident that occurred at the
Third Transgender Council held in Malmoe (Sweden) in 2010 when
delegates from Turkey where beaten up in front of a restaurant.

“This incidence is shocking for the whole conference” said just
reelected co-chair of TGEU Wiktor Dynarski, “it leaves a bitter taste
and again shows that there is no safe space for Transgender People in
Europe.”

The motto of the Council is “Trans Rights Now: Realizing Recognition,
Respect and Equality” and was organized by Transgender Europe in
conjunction with Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI) and other
local groups in Dublin. Over 250 activists and delegates from almost
40 countries reeceived a warm welcome to Ireland on Friday morning in
the opening ceremony.

“This was an appalling incident. Ireland was delighted to host the
Council and we have received an exceptional welcome from President
Michael D. Higgins and the Lord Mayor of Dublin. Clearly there is a
tremendous body of work to make our streets safe for all trans
people,” said TENI Director Broden Giambrone.

This is the largest European Human rights event on transgender issues
and one of the main themes is addressing hate crimes and violence. In
the last four years 53 transgender people were reported murdered in
Europe according to TGEU's Transrespect versus Transphobia Worldwide
project. 79% of trans people have experienced negative comments,
harassment, physical and sexual abuse and violence according to the
European Hate Crime Study published by Press for Change in 2010.
Violence and harassment are part of everyday life for most trans
people.

Transgender Europe expresses its solidarity with our friends and all
victims of violence in Europe.

“We are sad and angry and call upon An Garda Siochana to do everything
to prosecute the perpetrators. Last night's attack showed once more
that transphobia and racism are not only a problem of certain
countries in Europe. Transphobia is everywhere”, says Kemal Ordek TGEU
Steering Committee member and one of the victims of the attack.

END

For further information visit

www.tgeu.org

or write to

tgeu@tgeu.org
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[9/9/2012]