Gay Couple Files a Criminal Complaint against İHA for Targeting Them

Ekin Keser and Emrullah Tüzün, Turkey’s first gay couple who wed with a ceremony, expressed that they would file a criminal complaint against İhlas News Agency (İHA) and Wise Women Research Center (BİLKA) for using their images and targeting gay people.

Keser and Tüzün have been threatened and suffered oppression from both media and society since their wedding ceremony. They appealed to Human Rights Association (İHD).

Today lawyer Eren Keskin from Commission against Racism and Discrimination of İHD, Keser and Tüzün made a press statement and implied that İHA used discourse like “Homosexual orchestra is coming to Turkey. This is a scandal. They are coming to spread their homosexuality in Turkey.” It was reminded that to discriminate against someone’s sexuality was forbidden.

Lawyer Keskin said “Unfortunately both society and state of Turkey are patriarchal, even people who think themselves modern are so. Written law must be changed and sexual orientation must be included in the law.” They stressed they were calling the society to action.

Keser and Tüzün said they reached the media organs for news targeting them to be discontinued to be published and they would file a criminal complaint.

What happened?

Boston Gay Men’s Chorus was planning to give a concert in İstanbul a day before Pride March. Newspaper such as Vahdet, Yeni Şafak and Yeni Akit made news saying chorus was “pervert” and the concert would be cancelled.

On May 4, BİLKA made a written statement and implied that especially after Turkey’s application to join EU for full membership, homosexuals tried to bewitch society with their colorful flags and threaten society’s structure. BİLKA stated that allowing Boston Gay Men’s chorus come to Turkey would cause irreversible catastrophes. Also, BİLKA called for these kind of activities to be stopped.

İHA posted news of Boston Gay Men’s chorus coming to Turkey on its Facebook page by using Keser and Tüzün’s photos and disclosed as “scandal” to the press.

Boston Gay Men’s chorus concert’s fate will be decided with a meeting which will be held tomorrow. Chorus’s man in charge says the concert won’t be cancelled. If it is cancelled, they will find an alternative concert area. (ÇT/BD)

Click here to read this article in Turkish