A Turkish court
on Thursday ordered the closure of a gay rights
organization because it said the group's name violates
public morality, the group said.
The Lambda
Istanbul Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transvestites Solidarity
Association said it would appeal the decision within a week.
The court's
decision was not final, and the association, based in
Istanbul, continues its activities, said Baran Ergenc, a
member of the association.
Gays in Turkey
say they lack legal protections and face social stigma in
the Muslim nation with a secular tradition. Turkey's
government has implemented broad reforms in its bid to
join the European Union but remains heavily influenced
by conservative and religious values.
The court ordered
the closure of the group for not eliminating words
describing the sexual identities of its members in its
official name, Ergenc said.
''If we take out
the words lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
transvestites, then it is not an association
for them,'' Ergenc said. ''The court found the
association's name in violation of public morality.''
Ergenc said the
group was determined to take the case to the European
Court of Human Rights if Turkey's appeals court upholds the
decision by the local court in Istanbul. It was not
clear when the appeals court could make its decision.
Homosexuality is
not a crime in Turkey, and some clubs and cinemas in big
cities openly cater to homosexuals. Gay and lesbian
societies exist at several universities. But the vast
majority of homosexuals remain discreet in a country
where liberal views have yet to make inroads in rural
areas and many urban settings. (AP)