Lambda Istanbul

{{short description|LGBT organization in Turkey}}

Image:Christopher_street_day_istanbul_1993.jpg

Lambda Istanbul is a 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 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.[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. The prosecutors claimed that Lambda Istanbul's objectives were "against the law and morality". The order has been criticized by Human Rights Watch[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 and Amnesty International.[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. The Supreme Court of Appeals overturned this order on November 25, 2008,[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. and on April 30, 2009, a lower court granted Lambda Istanbul permission to continue operating.[https://web.archive.org/web/20090514163755/http://www.gaylesbiantimes.com/?id=14596 World News Briefs], Gay and Lesbian Times, May 7, 2009.

The agenda of Lambda includes:

• Reporting human rights violations.
• Helping change the 10th article of the Constitution, pending its amendment. According to the Article No.10 of the 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.