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 him and his 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 beforeleaving 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 effectivelyrecord transphobic incidences.
- Have LGBT trained liaison officers on duty 24 hours.
- Collaborate with TENI to make Dublin and Ireland a safer space fortrans people.
We demand that the State of Ireland
- Ensure that gender identity and gender expression are explicitlycovered by equality legislation and work to develop hate crimelegislation that protects all trans people.
- Collaborate with Irish trans organizations and support their work tomake Ireland a country that does not tolerate bigotry, discriminationor violence against trans people.
- Raise awareness that trans people’s equality and human rights mustalways be respected thus making sure that such incidents cease tohappen.
- Protect trans people's private life through gender recognitionlegislation that fully respect human rights according to theCommissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe’sRecommendations and the Yogyakarta Principles."
Dublin, 9th September 2012.
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