View source for Lambda Istanbul

{{short description|LGBT organization in Turkey}}
[[Image:Christopher_street_day_istanbul_1993.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Original T-shirt designed for the first Christopher Street Day celebration march in 1993]]
'''Lambda Istanbul''' is a [[LGBT rights in Turkey|Turkish LGBT organization]]. It was founded in 1993 as a cultural space for the [[LGBT]] community, and became an official organization in 2006. Clandestine [[Pride parade|Pride events]] were held in [[Turkey]] starting in 1993, and with Lambda [[Istanbul]] participation, they became public marches.

The organization was ordered dissolved in May 2008 following a court decision.<ref>[http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=105954 Court decides to shut down Istanbul's gay rights association] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080618171237/http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=105954 |date=2008-06-18 }}, Turkish Daily News, May 30, 2008.</ref> The prosecutors claimed that Lambda Istanbul's objectives were "against the law and morality". The order has been criticized by [[Human Rights Watch]]<ref>[http://hrw.org/english/docs/2008/06/02/turkey18990.htm Turkey: Court Shows Bias, Dissolves Lambda Istanbul] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081113180529/http://hrw.org/english/docs/2008/06/02/turkey18990.htm |date=2008-11-13 }}, ''[[Human Rights Watch]]'', June 2, 2008</ref> and [[Amnesty International]].<ref>[http://www.amnestyusa.org/lgbt-human-rights/page.do?id=1011002&n1=3&n2=36 Turkey:  Respect LGBT People's Right to Freedom of Association] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081008205605/http://www.amnestyusa.org/lgbt-human-rights/page.do?id=1011002&n1=3&n2=36 |date=2008-10-08 }}, OUTfront! Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Human Rights, Amnesty International.</ref> The Supreme Court of Appeals overturned this order on November 25, 2008,<ref>[http://www.ilga-europe.org/europe/guide/country_by_country/turkey/statement_by_ilga_europe Statement] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100420092744/http://www.ilga-europe.org/europe/guide/country_by_country/turkey/statement_by_ilga_europe |date=2010-04-20 }}, ILGA Europe, April 30, 2009.</ref> and on April 30, 2009, a lower court granted Lambda Istanbul permission to continue operating.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090514163755/http://www.gaylesbiantimes.com/?id=14596 World News Briefs], Gay and Lesbian Times, May 7, 2009.</ref>

The agenda of Lambda includes:
* Reporting [[Human rights in Turkey|human rights violations]].
* Helping change the 10th article of the [[Constitution of Turkey|Constitution]], pending its amendment. According to the Article No.10 of the [[Turkish Constitution|Constitution of Turkey]], discrimination based on language, race, skin color, gender, political opinion, religion, denomination and similar reasons is prohibited but it does not directly refer to sexual orientation or sexual identity.

== See also ==
* [[LGBT rights in Turkey]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{authority control}}

==External links==
* [http://www.lambdaistanbul.org Official website]

{{LGBT in Turkey}}

[[Category:LGBTQ political advocacy groups in Turkey]]
[[Category:LGBTQ culture in Istanbul]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1993]]
[[Category:Organizations disestablished in 2008]]
[[Category:1993 in LGBTQ history]]
[[Category:2008 in LGBTQ history]]
[[Category:May 2008 in Turkey]]


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