|
 A 26 year-old man described as Turkey’s “gay poster boy” has been shot dead, in what has been reported as the country’s first “homosexual honour killing”.
Istanbul physics student Ahmet Yildiz (pictured), was fatally shot by a group of attackers as he left a café near the Bosphorous Strait last week.
Yildiz, who represented Turkey at an international gay event in San Francisco last year, attempted to flee the scene in his car, lost control, crashed and died in hospital shortly after the shooting.
Friends of the murdered man told Britain’s The Independent newspaper his “crime” was to admit to his family that he was gay.
"They [his family] wanted him to go back home, see a doctor who could cure him, and get married," one of Yildiz’ friends and a close neighbour told the newspaper.
"From the day I met him, I never heard Ahmet have a friendly conversation with his parents. They would argue constantly, mostly about where he was, who he was with, what he was doing.”
The paper also reported that Yildiz’ family has not responded to calls from the murdered man’s friends to claim the body for burial.
Shortly after coming out publicly five months ago, Yildiz reported to a prosecutor that he had started receiving death threats. However, the case was dropped.
Though homosexuality is no longer illegal in the predominantly Muslim country, fiercely homophobic attitudes remain strong amongst traditionalists and conservatives opposed to the country’s increasing secularism.
The country also has a long history of “honour killings”, in which a family will attempt to “cleanse” its reputation by murdering a family member, usually a woman, who they believe has disgraced them.
Reportedly, Turkish women have been murdered in honour killings for a range of “transgressions” including talking to strangers or being the victim of rape.
It is estimated honour killings claim the life of one person each week in Turkey, and the United nations estimates 5,000 honour killings take place globally every year.
"Honour killings cleanse illicit relationships,” said Mazhar Bagli, a Turkish sociologist who has studied those convicted of the crime.
“For women, that is a broad term. Men are allowed more sexual freedom, but homosexuality is still seen by some as beyond the pale," he said.
Whether or not the violent death of Ahmet Yildiz is ever proved to have been a honour killing, the case highlights the difficulties faced by gays and lesbians living in Turkey, according to Sedef Cakmak, a gay lobbyist who was a friend of the murdered man.
"He fell victim to a war between old mentalities and growing civil liberties," Cakmak told The Independent.
"I feel helpless: we are trying to raise awareness of gay rights in this country, but the more visible we become, the more we open ourselves up to this sort of attack."
 |
Show/Hide comments
Show/Hide comment form