Athens,24 March 2020

PRESS RELEASE

Subject: «Letter from the GTSA to the Deputy Minister of Citizen Protection, Mr. Economou, concerning the identification of trans persons due to restrictive traffic control measures».

The Greek Transgender Support Association (GTSA), is a voluntary non-governmental organization that promotes the rights and freedoms of trans, gender-diverse and intersex and LGBTI persons, in general, with this press release, informs on a letter sent to the Deputy Minister of Citizen Protection, Mr. Economou, concerning the identification of trans persons due to restrictive traffic control measures.

Specifically, yesterday, March 23, the GTSA sent a letter to the Deputy Minister in order to draw attention to the fact that the verification of identification data for trans persons who have not yet been or are still in the process of changing their legal documents in accordance with the provisions of Law 4491/2017, to implement without any problems and with respect to the personality of trans persons.

In the letter we note that:

 The reason we are contacting you is that because this legislation is in force for less than two and a half years, because the process of changing documents is judicial and therefore time consuming, and also because many trans people are excluded from the space of work do not have the financial power to bear the costs, and finally, because at present due to the spread of the coronavirus pandemic the courts are not functioning, there are many trans persons who haven’t used the law to legally change their name and gender documents to their police IDs, and there may be problems in identifying them through measures to restrict and control the movement of citizens.  For this very reason, we would like to draw your attention, especially to those trans people who have not been able to change their documents to police IDs, that the police authorities show the utmost care and sensitivity, and not to see problems in either identification per se, much more likely in cases of personality abuse, as we have recorded many similar behaviors in the past.»

In addition, we further state that “we are at your disposal in a dialogue that could – in the light of particular circumstances – take place via teleconference so that all of our fellow citizens, including trans people, are adequately protected by the State

The Greek Transgender Support Association, before the State announced the first increased measures, on March 11, it announced the suspension of meetings at our organization’s office[1], whereas, at the same time, it called on the Greek Government to take measures to provide financial support to sex workers[2], and to take all possible initiatives to support trans, gender diverse, intersex and LGBTI persons, in general, as well as sex workers, for their adequate protection, especially in the wake of the spread of the pandemic.

THE BOARD OF MEMBERS
GREEK TRANSGENDER SUPPORT ASSOCIATION
Sygrou79, 3rd floor, Athens, 11745
Tel. 210.9210697

Office hours: Monday to Friday
09.00-14.00 & 17.00-20.00.

http://tgender.gr – http://www.transgender-association.gr/

contact@tgender.gr – transgender.support.association@gmail.com

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[1] Announcement, 11.3.2020, «Suspension of meetings at the office of GTSA until 31 March»: http://tgender.gr/announcement-suspension-of-meetings-at-the-office-of-gtsa-until-31-march/ 

[2] Press Release, 19.3.2020, «The Greek Transgender Support Association calls on the Government to provide financial support for sex workers as a result of the spread of COVID-19»: http://tgender.gr/press-release-the-greek-transgender-support-association-calls-on-the-government-to-provide-financial-support-for-sex-workers-as-a-result-of-the-spread-of-covid-19/