Van

Who will defend the LGBT organization in Kurdistan?

Source: Müjde Tozbey Erden, “Kürdistan’da LGBT derneğini kim savunacak?” (“Who will defend the LGBT organization in Kurdistan?”) Sol Portal, 19 September 2014, http://haber.sol.org.tr/yazarlar/mujde-tozbey-erden/kurdistanda-lgbt-dernegini-kim-savunacak-97415

[The Van Attorney General’s Office has moved to disband the Van Youth and Ecology Association (Van Gençlik ve Ekoloji Derneği) on the grounds that the Association’s bylaw to “support sexual orientation” is against morality as determined by the Article 56 of the Turkish Civil Code.]

[Update: The court has ruled that it is not “contrary to morality” for Ekogenç to be active in the area of sexual orientation.]

You might have heard of the establishment of the Van Youth and Ecology Association [Van Gençlik ve Ekoloji Derneği] in our region. “What does this Association do?” you may have asked. The association works on several matters, but one of its primary goals is to lend support to individuals regarding their sexual orientations.

According to Article 2 of the Association’s code, “The Association may form alliances with, become a member of, work in solidarity with, and provide financial and moral support to local, national, and international and cultural and academic associations and/or associations working in the fields of women, refugee, asylum seeker, ecology, humanity, youth, children, sexual orientation as it sees fit by following relevant legal procedures.” [sic] Under the “Activities” heading, the code states that “The Association pursues activities in the fields of life, organic agriculture, climate change, rural development, education, culture, social politics, art, gender, discrimination, poverty, refugee, asylum-seeker, youth, children, the disabled, sexual orientation.” [sic]

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‘Homophobic’ decision from Van governorate

Source: Hasan Yoldaş, “Van valiliğinden homofobik karar,” (“Homophobic decision from Van govenorship,”) DİHA , 27 November 2013, http://www.yuksekovahaber.com/haber/van-valiliginden-homofobik-karar-117382.htm

[Update: The court has ruled that it is not “contrary to morality” for Ekogenç to be active in the area of sexual orientation.]

A lawsuit has been filed by the Van governorship against the Youth and Ecology Association [EKOGENÇ], which the youth in Van had attempted to establish in order to work on solutions for environmental problems. The reason for the lawsuit is the inclusion of the clause “It may work in the field of sexual orientation” in its charter. The co-chairs of the association, not allowed to be established because of Turkish Civil Code Article 56 that states, “No association may be formed for an object contrary to the laws and ethics,” stated that over 25 associations that include the same clause in their regulations have been established up to now and that this decision is intentional.

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