LGBTQ Activist Killed in Turkey

Hande Kader was a twenty-two year old Turkish trans woman. In mid-August she was set on fire after being raped.

Kader was a fearless and well-known LGBTQ activist in Turkey. She had been photographed and filed participating in Gay Pride Istanbul in June 2015 where she was escorted by police after security used water cannons and rubber pellets to disperse the parade.

Organizations and protests have made noise about this brutal killing and have called for justice to end hate crimes against the LGBTQ community in Turkey. The hashtag #HandeKadereSesVer meaning “Give voice to Hande Kader” was trending on Twitter. The LGBTQ organizations, Pink Life Association and Istanbul LGBTI+ Network, both demanded justice for Kader and protection of the rights of transgender people.  Also hundreds of protesters attended a march to “raise their voice” against LGBTQ hate crimes in Turkey.

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