聲援土耳其跨性別性工作者被殺案

2016年8月23日下午12點, 午夜藍與左翼21,香港彩虹行動等團體,在土耳奇領事館示威,要求土耳其政府公正處理8 月8 日跨性別性工作者、社運人士Hande Kader被殺一案。

【反對煽動仇恨聲援邊緣小眾要求土耳其政府公正處理跨性別性工作者被殺一案】聲明

近日土耳其因軍隊政變而動盪不斷，當地人民因政治而活在苦難之中，但當中酷兒們可謂其中的受害者，不只面對政治動盪，更因自己的性身份受歧視，甚至連人身安全也不受保障。

在8月8日，土耳其跨性別性工作者、社運人士Hande Kader被發現遭人殺害，其屍體被燒毀，而她死前曾遭受性侵。雖然在土耳其，同性戀並不違法，但當地的性/別活動卻受到政府不斷的打壓。土耳其的同志運動蓬勃，由2003年起就開始有同志遊行，2014年參與遊行人數更高達10萬人。

可是，現屆政府上任後，同志大遊行及跨性別遊行均被警方以「維護安全與公眾秩序」、「防止恐怖襲擊」為由打壓，以催淚彈及水砲，甚至發射橡膠子彈驅趕示威者；而土耳其性小眾的被殺率是全世界第九高，在2008-2016年間有超過40宗跨性別被殺的案件，並且事情不斷擴大，在2014年11月至2016年6月這一年半內，有超過7宗跨性別被殺的案件。而在是次事件前兩星期，就有一名敘利亞同性戀難民被斬首，屍體棄置在Kader屍體被發現的不遠處。這些都顯示，案件不是單一案件，而是針對性小眾的仇恨犯罪，但土耳其政府未有加以阻止，反而不斷籍仇恨鞏固統治，使性小眾被迫活在污名和仇恨之下。

Kader的另一個身份是性工作者。性工作者受害，最主要的原因是社會對性的保守態度，不願正視性工作，使世界各地的性工作者被逼處於陰暗危險的地方工作，Kader就是在接客期間遇害。本港的性工作者亦面對相同的困境，2008年就曾發生性工作者連環兇殺案，性工作者因一樓一的政策，同時終日受警察欺凌而得不到社會的重視與支援。更甚者，香港的跨性別性工作者被捕後的人權亦屢受侵犯，不論是警察全裸搜身時以言語羞辱、監禁時難以得到荷爾蒙藥物治療、單獨囚禁帶來精神創傷等，警察、懲教署及入境處等執法部門從未制定針對跨性別人士的工作指引，漠視他們的需要及權益。

上星期日，土耳其的運動者就著Hande Kader之事發起示威，要求警察及司法機關公正處理事件，勿讓恐同、恐跨、恐娼的犯罪者逍遙法外。如土耳其同志組織的聲明所言：終止仇恨犯罪唯一的方法就是凝聚我們的力量來對抗它。因此，我們今日到土耳其駐港領事館示威，要求土耳其政府嚴正處理事件，還死者公道。同時，我們要求土耳其政府不再打壓同志/跨性別/性工作者等性污名者，並聲援當地的運動者，皆因我們要告訴世界，歧視和仇恨是可以殺人，不論性工作者、跨性別、同性戀，都應得到尊重和保障。我們希望土耳其政府設法保障當地性小眾的安全，使性小眾不再活於恐懼之中。

同時，我們也想藉此向土耳其的同志們表達團結支持。long live international solidarity！同志無分國界，對於土耳其同志受到的傷害，我們深感痛心、憤怒！一人受傷就是所有人受到傷害，同志、窮人，所有受壓迫的人都應該團結起來，互相協助，才能打倒強權，重奪自主！

【Statement Against Hatred of the Marginalised: Justice for Hande Kader】

Recent military coups in Turkey have led to its instabilities and the suffering of its people. The queer is no exception in facing the difficulties of political instability, not to mention the insecurity brought by physical threat when further enduring discrimination against their sexualities.

Turkish transgender sex worker and activist Hande Kader was found murdered on August 8, having been sexually assaulted before death and body burnt afterwards. This happened in the backdrop of violent governmental suppression of LGBT activities, though homosexuality is not illegal in Turkey. Pride Parade in Turkey since 2003, as well as the reaching of a hundred thousand participants in such in 2014 have shown that lgbt rights movements in Turkey have been robust. Yet, ever since the new term of government took office, Pride Parade and Transgender Parades and activism have been suppressed by tear gas, water cannons and even rubber bullets, in the name of safeguarding public order against terrorist threats. Meanwhile, the country ranks ninth globally in the rate of sexual minorities murdered. Over 40 cases of murdered transgenders have taken place between 2008 and 2016, whereas more than 7 cases of so occurred only within the short period between November 2014 and June 2016. Just two weeks before the murder of Kader, a homosexual Syrian refugee was beheaded, his body found not far from where that of Kader was also found.

All this shows that such cases are not arbitrary, but crimes of hatred pinpointed against the marginalised. Rather than stopping the occurrences of such atrocities, the Turkish government strove to secure its rule on top of such hatred, leaving sexual minorities living under stigma and discrimination.

Kader is a sex worker, and the victimization of those with the same identity is often due to the conservativeness of society towards the conception of sex, forcing sex workers around the world to do their job in dangerous venues, Kader herself being one of those harmed exactly when patronised. The 2008 serial murders of sex workers in Hong Kong prove evident that sex workers here are also faced with the same difficulties (especially those in “one-woman brothels”), often bullied by the police with no support and reckoning from society. Furthermore, verbal abuse by the police while being searched all naked, lack of access to hormonal medical treatment during imprisonment, as well as psychological trauma brought by solitary confinement are all examples of the frequent infringement of transgender sex workers’ rights. Neither had the police, the Correctional Services, nor the Immigration Department ever formulated working guidelines in particular for transgenders, thus neglecting their needs, interests and rights.

Demonstrations for Kader were held last Sunday in Turkey, demanding a fair and rightful settlement of the incident by bringing the homophobic and transphobic criminal to justice. As stated by Turkish LGBT organisations, “[t]he only way to stop hate crimes is to raise our voice together against hatred and hate crimes.” Because of this, we have come to the Turkish Consulate General in Hong Kong today, to demand for a just settlement of the incident, and justice for Kader. Meanwhile, we demand that the Turkish government stop its oppression of LGBTs, sex workers and all other sexually stigmatized.

We would like to express our support to those in Turkey by voicing out to the world that discrimination and hatred have caused these killings, and that all, no matter sex workers, transgenders, or homosexuals, are deserving of respect and security. We hope that the Turkish government protects the physical safety of sexual minorities as it should, and stop them from living in lasting fear.

We would also like to express our support for the unity of Turkish LGBT comrades. Long live international solidarity! Our national borders do not divide us, and we are deeply angered by the harm done to our Turkish comrades! An injury to one is an injury to all. LGBTs, the impoverished, and all fellow oppressed must unite and stand together in the fight against the powered for our own freedom and autonomy!