LGBTI Organizations Call for Saying ‘No to Lifting Parliamentary Immunities’

Click to read the article in Turkish 

LGBTI Peace Initiative has made a press statement as to the lifting of parliamentary immunities and made a call on the MPs; “For the sake of peace and democracy, say no to AKP’s (Justice and Development Party) proposal to lift the immunities. Vote against it! Do not touch the agents of the peoples!”.

In the joint statement of 16 LGBTI organizations, it has been expressed that the proposal of lifting the immunities meant deepening the authoritarian governing style and ignoring the will of people represented in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) besides all the legal errors.

The statement included following expressions:

“We unfortunately have to see how immunities are lifted in a way proposed by AKP is a product of political revenge which involves to eliminate HDP (Peoples’ Democratic Party) from the Parliament.  

“By discussing religious constitution and enforcing the presidential system, they want to condemn everybody who do not want to accept the opinion dictated by a single person in the [Presidential] Palace, the belief and the way of life to a darker future.

“We as LGBTI people, are of the opinion that this proposal which entirely contradicts with the constitution and the principles of universal law, should be rejected.

“This constitutional proposal is at the same time will cause the environment of violence to continue and grow. The proposal of lifting the immunities will serve the single-person-dictatorship to institutionalize and will increase the danger of expanding the war and hatred.

“22 years ago, what had been done to the MPs of the DEP (Democracy Party) has not contributed to the solutions of the Kurdish question and the democratization of Turkey. It has not paid off any results besides a deadlock. We as LGBTI persons would like to reiterate and underline that the way to peace passes through a democratic and emancipatory constitution which recognizes all the diversities of the country.

“We as LGBTI organizations which have signed below, call on all the MPs and especially those with whom we have defended the rights of LGBTI people together, to reject and say no to this proposal which aims at eliminating democratic opposition, deepening the war and accelerating the course towards dictatorship.

“Vote against  AKP’s proposal of lifting the immunities! Do not touch the agents of the peoples!”. (ÇT/DG)