Esmeray Hopes Transgender People Will Follow Example

On 28 May was the second hearing of the court case that transgender Esmeray had brought against two police officers, Mustafa Muhammet Çırakoğlu and Ceyhun Güvem.

Violence a daily occurrence

Speaking at the Beyoğlu 2nd Criminal Court of Peace, Esmeray said that she wanted the case to set a precedent for the violence that transsexuals and transvestites experienced on a daily basis.

Çırakoğlu had given evidence at the first hearing and did not attend. Also absent was defendant Güvem, who, despite having been transferred to another police station, had not informed the court of his new address.

Judge Selvinaz Eken postponed the hearing to 8 July.

Esmeray said, "Many of my transsexual and transvestite friends, who are forced into sex labour, experience violence by the police nearly daily. However, many of them are too afraid to file complaints."

She expressed hope that her court case would encourage others to come forward.

The court hearing was also attended by Esra Aşan from the Feminist Women's Environment, Özlem Molla from the Socialist Feminist Collective, Bora Bengisu from LambdaIstanbul, and Esen Özdemir and Mehmet Atak from the feminist organisation Amargi.

Lawyer Meriç Eyüboğlu said that the case was not only about police violence, but also about the fact that Esmeray's gender identity caused her to experience an increase in violence.

Punches and kicks

In the night of 5 June 2007, when Esmeray was going home, she was stopped by two police officers in front of the Beyoğlu police station in Taksim's Tarlabaşı neighbourhood. One of them punched her, and when she fell, they both kicked her.

Esmeray held a press briefing after the attack and filed a complaint on 7 June 2007. It took over a year for the prosecution of the police officers to begin. (BÇ/AG)