Look in the mirror, Portugal!

Indymedia Portugal, Feb. 26, 2006

 

English, Português

[ V 6-17-06]

 

 

Murdered trans woman was "repeatedly beaten, sodomized with sticks,

burned, kicked, stabbed and stoned by a group of 14 teenagers

from St. José Center" a strict Catholic school for boys.

 

 

News about the growing PROTEST over these events.

Suggested Protest Letter.

Contacts for Protest.

See also the TGEU (European TransGender Network) Website.

 

 


 

Important Updates:

 

5-17-06:  Alert from Pink Panthers of Portugal regarding scandalous judgment of courts

 

5-19-06:  TGEU: Transexual murdered in Portugal ensuing cover up of a hate crime. Appeal for international action on 8 June.

 

5-24-06:  "Diagonal" (Madrid): Portugal // El Asesinato de Una Transexual Moviliza a Colectivos LGTB.

 

Killers go free - Protests to be made at Portuguese Embassies on June 8, 2006.

 

Link to a video about Gisberta's murder made for the June 8 protest by the Groupe Activiste Trans' from Paris

6-09-06:  PFC News: "PEDRO ABRUNHOSA DEDICATES A BALLAD TO GISBERTA"

 

6-15-06:  European Parliament resolution decrys increase in racist and homophobic violence in Europe, and specifically refers to Gisberta's murder.

 

 

 


 

Date: Sun, 26 Feb 2006

From: Curtis Hinkle
Subject: Look in the mirror, Portugal

Look in the mirror, Portugal
Translated from the Portuguese by Curtis E. Hinkle, OII
Source - Indymedia Portugal

 

Gisberta, the Brazilian homeless woman murdered in Field 24 of the city of Porto, and thrown into a ditch inside of a small abandoned garage which had been her shelter for many months, had been living in Portugal for more than 20 years. 

According to people who knew her, she had not been able to have genital surgery because of the enormous legal difficulties that go along with it and also because of complications resulting from her physical condition.  She s! uffered from serious circulatory problems.  “Gis” was not a cross-dresser, she was a transsexual.  She was a person that was never able to fit in in Portugal; a lonely, sensitive person who fell into a deep depression after the death of the two dogs which were her family and company and turning to drugs and then prostitution to survive.

She suffered a horrible end after being tormented for several days.  She was repeatedly beaten, sodomized with sticks, burned, kicked, stabbed and stoned by a group of 14 teenagers from St. José Center, 13 of which were under the age of 16; who took advantage of her physical condition which had been extremely debilitated by drugs, illness, cold and the misery and loneliness of her life, and when they felt she was dead, they threw her in a ditch in a garage. 

At the vigil for Gisberta, attended by about 50 people, many of which were representatives of the LGBT community, R! ute, another transsexual who knew her and had worked with her in better times doing cabaret shows, moved many to tears as she spoke out in revulsion against this crime, a manifestation of homophobia and intolerance which is increasing in our society.

She spoke of the immense suffering which is the daily lot of transsexuals and their families, hounded by discrimination in public, by neighbors and excluded from almost all job openings, often trapped into prostitution, and hooked on drugs which are abundant in the milieu where they are banished to, drugs which lessen the psychological pain from the stigma and exclusion;  and pressured into repeated operations and plastic surgery in pursuit of the image that is required socially to live as the gender they know they are and which they need to be recognized and accepted as. 

“We are normal people, with the same problems and daily needs that everyone has, ther! e is no reason for us to feel guilty and we are hurting no one.  Why can we not be accepted?

It should be pointed out that some of the transsexuals present defended the young people involved, blaming it on the violent way of life they live and how they are raised and treated by the priests of the St. José Center as well as their own feelings of exclusion and the need to be part of a group and what they are forced to do to belong.

Unfortunately in Portugal, this catholic country brimming with words and talk which would make one think that the nation is kind and that hearts of Jesus fill the people with compassion, there appears to be less capacity to reflect about ourselves before pointing the finger and to realize that it might just be the result of our own upbringing of prejudice and a mirror of our own intolerance and indifference.

 

For more information, see:

http://pt.indymedia.org/ler.php?numero=71608&cidade=1

http://jn.sapo.pt/2006/02/24/em_foco/camara_explora_parque_decrepito.html

http://www.portugalgay.pt/politica/portugalgay71.asp

 

 


 

 

Vê-te ao espelho, Portugal

Indymedia Portugal

Feb. 26, 2006:

 

 

Gisberta, a sem-abrigo brasileira assassinada no Campo 24 de Agosto no Porto, e atirada ao fosso interior do pequeno silo-auto semi abandonado que há meses lhe servia de teto, vivia em Portugal há mais de vinte anos.

Segundo pessoas que a conheciam, não tendo chegado nunca a operar-se genitalmente devido às enormes dificuldades legais que é preciso transpor e às peculiariedades da sua condição física, já que de há muito sofria problemas graves com o sistema circulatório, “Gis” não era um travesti mas uma transsexual. Era uma pessoa que nunca chegou a integrar-se em portugal, solitária e sensível, caída em depressão profunda depois da morte dos dois cães que lhe serviam de família e companhia e que se afundara no consumo de estupefacientes, valendo-se da prostituição para sobreviver.

Sofreu um fim horroroso, depois de um calvário que durou vários dias em que foi renovadamente espancada e sodomizada com paus, queimada, pontapeada, esfaqueada e apedrejada por um grupo de 14 jovens da oficina de S. José, 13 menores de 16 anos; que se aproveitaram da sua condição física e psíquica extremamente debilitada pelas drogas, pela doença, pelo frio e pela miséria e solidão em que vivia, e que ao suspeitarem a sua morte a atiraram para o fosso da garagem.

Na vigília por Gisberta, que juntou cerca de cinquenta pessoas, entre as quais muitas representantes da comunidade LGBT, Rute, uma outra transsexual que a conhecia e chegou a trabalhar com ela em melhores tempos fazendo espectáculos de cabaret, comoveu até às lágrimas muitos dos presentes ao proferir o seu sentimento de revolta por mais este crime, manifestação da homofobia e intolerância face à diferença que cresce na nossa sociedade.

Falou do imenso sofrimento que é diariamente imposto às transexuais e às suas famílias, acossadas pela descriminação nas ruas, pelos vizinhos, nos lugares públicos e excluídas da quase totalidade das ofertas de emprego, escorraçadas para a prostituição, empurradas para as drogas, abundantes nos meios em que se vêem circunscritas, drogas que mitigam as dores psíquicas do estigma e da exclusão; e pressionadas para se sujeitarem a renovadas operações de cirurgia plástica perseguindo uma miragem de acolhimento social no desesperado esforço para se tornarem conformes à imagem socialmente exigida do género a que sentem pertencer e pelo qual precisam de ser reconhecidas e aceites.

“Somos pessoas normais, com os mesmos problemas e necessidades quotidianas de toda a gente, não temos culpa de sermos assim e não fazemos mal a ninguém. Porque não podem aceitar-nos?”

De notar que algumas das transsexuais presentes levantaram vozes em defesa das crianças envolvidas, responsabilizando a forma violenta como vivem e são tratadas e educadas pelos padres na "Oficina de S. José", bem como as coisas que o sentimento de exclusão e a necessidade de se integrarem e serem aceites nos grupos que formam os leva a fazer .

Infelizmente em Portugal, este país católico cheio de discursos a presumir a bondade nacional e corações de Jesus a transbordar de compaixão, parece retroceder a capacidade de nos questionarmos sobre se aquilo que apontamos a dedo não será apenas o resultado da nossa educação para o preconceito e o espelho da nossa intolerância e indiferença.
 

 

For more information, see:

http://pt.indymedia.org/ler.php?numero=71608&cidade=1

http://jn.sapo.pt/2006/02/24/em_foco/camara_explora_parque_decrepito.html

http://www.portugalgay.pt/politica/portugalgay71.asp

 


 

 

News about the growing PROTEST over these events

 

>>> office@tgeu.net 02/27/06 5:32 pm >>>
THIS MAIL IS SENT REPRESENTATIVE FOR JÒ BERNARDO, ªt., jo_bernardo@clix.pt

WHO HAS PROBLEMS WITH MAILING (Jo, TransX / http://tgeu.net)

***

GISBERTA

MURDER OF TRANSEXUAL IN PORTUGAL AND THE ON-GOING ATTEMPT TO SILENCE IT:


URGENT APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL ACTION!

THE APPEAL

Towards a terrible murder that more and more is becoming a hate crime,
towards the biased omition of the sexual and transphobic component of the
crime, towards the confused reaction of most LGBT portuguese associations
that contributed to the huge amount of mediatic confusion and
desinformation, because they weren´t able to inform correctly about the
victim's identity nor about the diference between homophobia and
transphobia, towards the openly mediatic and political attempt of
minimization of the crime, of the omition of the "hate" component in the
death of a person, who acumulate so many social exclusions, towards the
attempt to blame the victim, and the public "silencing" of this case, we
appeal to the urgent support of all LGBT colectives and entities all over
the world:

-          to denounce as widely as you can the facts occured in Portugal,
specially in the movements and national and international media;

-          to protest - with knowledge to the portuguese LGBT associations-
near the portuguese Government, official entities, political parties and
media because the way they are dealing with this case (the contacts are in
the end of this message). The model letter, also in the end of this message,
can be used to do it;

-          to manifest near this same entities and portuguese LGBT movement
your solidarity with the efforts made to change this dramatic situation.

-          WE FIND IT FUNDAMENTAL, AT THIS POINT,

A STRONG INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE OVER PORTUGAL.



ABOUT THE FACTS

Gisberta, brasilian imigrant, transexual, HIV positive, having drug
problems, sex-worker and homeless, was found dead on the 22th of February
inside a pit 10 metres deep, in an unfinished building in Oporto, the second
biggest portuguese city. The crime was confessed by a group of 14 boys,
between 10 and 16 years old, most of them coming from a child protection
institution belonging to the Catholic Church although financed by the state.

>From this confession, details of the dreadful act are being known. The
victim had a deeply fragile health condition, and she was frenquently
chassed by this boys, with insults and harassment. On the 19th, a group of
this boys entered the unfinished and abandoned building where Gisberta was
staying, tied her up, gagged and assaulted her with extreme violence,
kicking her, and beating her up with sticks and stones. The group also
confessed to have introduced sticks in Gisberta's anus, whose body presented
great injuries, and have abandoned her at the scene. Her body presents also
cigarette burning marks.

On the 20th and 21st, they have returned to the scene and repeated the
aggresions. By dawn, from the 21st to 22nd, they finnally threw  her to the
pit, attempting to hide the crime. The autopsy will clarify if she was still
alive. Since her body wasn't floating, yet submerged in the bottom of  the
pit, indicates that she died drowned.



ABOUT THE REACTIONS AND THE GENERAL TRANSPHOBIA

This case was widely spread by the portuguese media on the 23rd and 24th in
a biased and erroneous way. While some of the portuguese media mentioned the
murder of a "tranvestite", most of them mentioned only her "homeless", or
"homeless, sex worker, drug addict " condition. Gisberta was, also in some
media, called Gisberto, her (masculine)legal name. According with this
omition, and even before any details about the murder or about the identity
and personal caractheristics of the victim were knowed, many newspapers, in
opinion columns, printed articles from opinion-makers (already knowed  in
Portugal for their personal oposition to LGBT rights), defendind that this
couldn't be considered as a "hate crime", and that it wouldn't be legitim to
consider any connection with Gisberta's transexuality amoung the motivations
to the crime. Usually, the arguments were around the under age of most
agressors.

At the same time were, and still are, ignored by the media the press
releases of the portuguese lgbt associations, including the Panteras Rosa
and the trans association (@t), clarifying the "transexuality" and victims
identity, demanding legal and social measures against discriminations and
protection against hate crimes motivated by gender identity, sexual
orientation, social condition, disease or national origin, though it was
vaguelly mentioned a solidarity vigilance (a citizen's iniciative supported
by the lbgt associations) in the 24th evening, but, once again, the media
ignored the arguments of the associations, asking the transexuality of the
victim to be mentioned, as well as the transphobic discrimination as one of
probable crime motivations.

Avoiding mentioning "hate crime" with the argument of the under age of the
agressors, with the exception of a few politicians that expressed their
personal opinion, no portuguese political party gave any declaration nor
condemned this crime. From the Government, the only reaction came from the
minister responsable for this under age institutions, that simply stated
"the feeling of shock", without any more words or comments, and demanded an
inquiry to the institution where the agressors were. These, with the
exception of a 16 year boy, already criminaly rsponsable and who is alrealy
in preventive inprisionment, were sent back to the institution and are in a
semi-liberty regime. None other measure is know to be taken towards the
agressors. Psicological support for the 10 year old boys, for example?

No photo of the victim was printed in most newspapers. The media and the
opinion-makers focused the "shock" of the crime in the under age of the
agressors, and not in the death of a citizen. They gave voice to
insinuations of the responsable priest for the under age institution, that
even said publicly that a boy from the institution was being "abused" by a
pedophile, and this would be a "extenuating circumstance". These
declarations didn't lead to the publication of any reaction. Contrary to the
current praxis, the data revealed on the 24th about the  victim's sexual
harassment, aswell the possibility of Gisberta was still alive when she
thonwed at the pit, were only printed by a Oporto's newspaper. Only four
days after the crime was denounced, the media silence about it is almost
absolut, and everything signs that it will remain this way.

Jó Bernardo

Sérgio Vitorino

--------------------------

Saturday, 25th February 2006

Press Release

Panteras Rosa Movement - Combat front against homophobia

ªt - Study and defence of the rights to gender identity Association

Murder of Gisberta

Of crime, of hate, of the silencing in course, of our anger.



Probably thrown into the trench while still alive. Victim not only of
aggression but also of sexual abuse. Day by day our indignation grows with
the way that Gisberta's murder has been published, commented and attenuated.
We think it's odd that today's television reports ignore the shocking
information released by the Portuguese newspaper "Jornal de Notícias": there
is an obvious sexual component in this crime. Should it to be ignored that
the victim was submitted to a particular kind of torture,  like the
insertion of objects in the anus?

The priest Lino Maia, president of the IPSS's Union, stated yesterday that
the boys would have "attenuating circumstances", because of a presumed
molestation from a pedophile to a colleague. In the presence of a murder,
the church tries to blame the LGBT population, associating it once again to
child molestation. This declaration only reinforces the conviction of
discriminatory motivation. The priest tries to excuse the institution he
runs and the boys he's responsable for: by saying that the they did "justice
with their own hands" to respond to a presumed victim's non-related episode,
he is precisely defining a hate crime.

"How was it possible?", asks yesterday's newspaper 'Público'. "How was it
possible that it hasn't happened before?", we answer -Don't we know the
child protection system is just the continuation of abandon and
maltreatment? Don't we know of the violence and social exclusion and how it
is promoted in Portugal? Don't we know of the discrimination towards
homeless people, HIV positives, prostitutes, homosexuals, gypsies,
immigrants, and specially transsexuals that even in the Gay community are
highly excluded?

In 'Público' we may read "more likely an unconscious act than premeditated".
What is unconscious and not premeditated in the transphobic insult and in
four continuum days of aggression, extreme violence, torture and sexual
abuse? Of throwing a body in a trench without checking if it was still
alive?

It's shameful that even today the media don't recognise the difference
between a transsexual and a crossdresser, homophobia and transphobia, sexual
orientation and gender identity. Journalists should put in serious question
their professional conscience, their own preconceptions, the approaches by
the media to the LGBT rights, with special incidence over the transexual
population, the more mocked, and disadvantaged and misunderstood in the
media universe and society.

Part of the social communication only referred to Gisberta as a "homeless"
person. It's not up to journalists - or anybody else - to decide if it was
the "homeless" feature - or another - that motivated this murder.
Unfortunately, it's up to the prejudice. Gisberta accumulated multiple
exclusions; none of them can be omitted. She was a transsexual and
transphobia victim. More than enumerate these exclusions, for we still don't
know much on what really happened, to omit some is to hide probable
explanatory elements of this crime, without information that supports it,
and it is a grosse manipulation and reinforcement of discrimination.

It's outrageous the silence of the political parties, even with the
predictable argument that it won't be wise to talk about "hate crime" with
children involved. The issue is not to "criminalise" children of under age.
The state should assume the responsibilities he never assumed in taking care
of those that are "young". It should punish those in the age of being
responsable. But do not mix up "children" with "16 year-old youth" that know
what killing means and - not forgetting the dramatic age from most of the
group - do not attenuate the crime in itself and the prejudice in it. The
feelings that generate hate are of the responsibility of adults and those
who run the country.

We wont ask ourselves if children are capable of hating. Portuguese society
hates, and it's in it that children grow. Anti-LGBT (and other) hate,
especially transphobia, is a serious social problem that reproduces itself
among generations. The real question is, and can oly be, within the combat
measures and prevention of the discrimination and inequalities in it's
whole - in the LGBT specific case, in the recognition of social rigths and
equality and social legitimation. Yes, this time the crime was comitted by
"young" people. But the transphobic, homophobic aggressions in Portugal that
have risen in the last couple of years, were not, and the invariable rule
has been its silencing and forgetfulness.

How about the next crime? Will we wait for one comitted by adults to stand
up with a position? And to aggravate the laws (not in function of age) to
protect against crimes and discrimination based on social condition,
desease, transphobia, homophobia, etc? To implement sexual education against
prejudice in schools? To face the living hell that is the system of child
(un)protection in this country? To invest in equality policies?

ªt. - Associação para o Estudo e Defesa do Direito à Identidade de Género
(Association for the study and defense to the rigth to Gender Identity) *
Trav. do Monte do Carmo,1 1200-276 Lisbon - Portugal * Tel. + 351 21 324 03
46 * Fax. + 351 21 324 03 47 * e-mail. a.trans@clix.pt * site.
http://a-trans.planetaclix.pt

Contact: Jó Bernardo + 351 91 760 68 65 / jo_bernardo@clix.pt

Panteras Rosa - Frente de Combate à Homofobia (Pink Panthers -Combat Front
Against Homophobia) * Apartado 1323 - 1009-001 Lisbon - Portugal *
Panteras.Rosas@sapo.pt * www.panterasrosa.blogspot.com

Contact: Sérgio Vitorino + 351 91 941 46 13 / svitorino@gmail.com

SUGGESTION OF PROTEST LETTER

We have just known that Gisberta, brasilian imigrant, transexual, HIV
positive, drug user, sex worker and homeless, was found dead on the 22th of
February in an unfinished building in the city of Oporto, and that the crime
was confessed by a group of 14 boys, aged from 10 to 16 years old, most of
them coming from a child protection institution.

We were also informed that the victim had a deeply fragile health condition,
and she was frenquently chassed by these boys, with insults and harassment.
That on the 19th, a group of this boys entered the unfinished and abandoned
building where Gisberta was staying, tied her up, gagged and assaulted her
with extreme violence, kicking her, and beating her up with sticks and
stones. That the group also confessed to have introduced sticks in
Gisberta's
anus, whose body presented great injuries, and have abandoned her at the
scene. That her body presents also cigarette burning marks. That on the 20th
and 21st, they have returned to the scene and repeated the aggresions. That
by dawn, from the 21st to 22nd, they finnally threw  her to the pit,
attempting to hide the crime. That the autopsy will clarify if she was still
alive, since her body wasn't floating, yet submerged in the bottom of  the
pit, indicates that she died drowned.

This case was widely spread by the portuguese media on the 23rd and 24th in
a biased and erroneous way. While some of the portuguese media mentioned the
murder of a "tranvestite", most of them mentioned only her "homeless", or
"homeless, sex worker, drug addict " condition. Gisberta was, also in some
media, called Gisberto, her (masculine)legal name. According with this
omition, and even before any details about the murder or about the identity
and personal caractheristics of the victim were knowed, many newspapers, in
opinion columns, printed articles from opinion-makers (already knowed  in
Portugal for their personal oposition to LGBT rights), defendind that this
couldn't be considered as a "hate crime", and that it wouldn't be legitim to
consider any connection with Gisberta's transexuality amoung the motivations
to the crime. Usually, the arguments were around the under age of most
agressors.

We have also known that at the same time were, and still are, being ignored
by the media the press releases of the portuguese lgbt associations,
including the Panteras Rosa and the trans association (@t), clarifying the
"transexuality" and victims identity, demanding legal and social measures
against discriminations and protection against hate crimes motivated by
gender identity, sexual orientation, social condition, disease or national
origin, though it was vaguelly mentioned a solidarity vigilance (a citizen's
iniciative supported by the lbgt associations) in the 24th evening, but,
once again, the media ignored the arguments of the associations, asking the
transexuality of the victim to be mentioned, as well as the transphobic
discrimination as one of probable crime motivations.

It becomes clear that, by avoiding mentioning "hate crime" with the argument
of the under age of the agressors, with the exception of a few politicians
that expressed their personal opinion, no portuguese political party as such
took a stand nor condemned this crime. From the Government, the only
reaction came from the minister responsable for this under age institutions,
that simply stated "the feeling of shock", without any more words or
comments, and demanded an inquiry to the institution where the agressors
were. These, with the exception of a 16 year boy, already criminaly
responsable and who is alrealy in preventive inprisionment, were sent back
to the institution and are in a semi-liberty regime. None other measure is
known to be taken towards the agressors. Psicological support for the 10
year old boys, for example?

-         We find odd that no photo of the victim was printed in most
newspapers. The media and the opinion-makers focused the "shock" of the
crime in the under age of the agressors, and not in the death of a citizen.
They gave voice to insinuations of the responsable priest for the under age
institution, that even said publicly that a boy from the institution was
being "abused" by a pedophile, and this would be a "extenuating
 circumstance". These declarations didn't lead to the publication of any
reaction. Contrary to the current praxis, the data revealed on the 24th
about the  victim's sexual harassment, aswell the possibility of Gisberta
being still alive when she was throwed at the pit, were only printed by an
Oporto's newspaper. Only four days after the crime was denounced, a sudden
media silence about it is almost absolut, and everything

-         Uma situação de desrespeito pelos direitos humanos mais
elementares, que não podemos qualificar apenas de inadmissível num país da
União Europeia em pleno século XXI.

Facing a terrible murder that configurates as a most likely hate crime,
facing tendencious omitions of the sexual and transphobic component of the
crime, facing an aparent mediatical and political attempt of devalorizing of
the crime itself, facing the omition of the "hate" component in the death of
a person that acumulated so many social exclusions, facing attempts to
responsabilise the victim, and publicly silencing this case, we came this
way to express:

-         our complete solidarity with the victim and the portuguese
activists that are trying to clear the facts and honour the memory of
Gisberta, and demading prevention and combat measures against the
discrimations, without excludind protective legistation against the
transphobic, lesbophobic, homophobic and biphobic discrimination and
violence;

-         our demand of respect for the positions defended by the same
activists and efectivation of the measures that they have been defending as
urgent;

-         our complete incomprehension of the way the portuguese political
responsable and media are dealing with the crime, of the manipulation of the
facts and the absence of adequate answers to the described situation.

-         A situation that, being confirmed, represents a total desrespect
for the most elementar humam rights, that cannot be qualified only as
unnaceptable in a country of the European Union, XXI century.
 



CONTACTS FOR SENDING PROTESTS:

PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC belem@presidenciarepublica.pt

MINISTER'S COUNCIL PRESIDENCY write on-line at
http://www.portugal.gov.pt/Portal/PT/Geral/Contactos (limit 4000 c.)

GOVERNMENT
Primeiro Ministro pm@pm.gov.pt
Secretário de Estado Adjunto do Primeiro-Ministro gseapm@pm.gov.pt
Ministro de Estado e da Administração Interna gabinete.ministro@mai.gov.pt

Secretário de Estado Adjunto e da Administração Local gseaal@seaal.gov.pt
Ministro de Estado e dos Negócios Estrangeiros ministro@mne.gov.pt
Ministro dos Assuntos Parlamentares map@map.gov.pt
Secretário de Estado da Juventude e do Desporto sejd@sejd.gov.pt
Ministro do Trabalho e da Solidariedade Social gmtss@mtss.gov.pt
Secretário de Estado da Segurança Social gabinete.sess@mtss.gov.pt
Secretário de Estado do Emprego e Formação Profissional gseef@mtss.gov.pt
Secretária de Estado Adjunta e da Reabilitação gabinete.sear@mtss.gov.pt
Ministra da Educação gme@me.gov.pt
Secretário de Estado Adjunto e da Educação se.adj-educacao@me.gov.pt
Secretário de Estado da Educação se.educacao@me.gov.pt
Ministro da Saúde gms@ms.gov.pt
Secretário de Estado da Saúde gses@ms.gov.pt
Ministra da Cultura gmc@mc.gov.pt
Secretário de Estado da Cultura gsec@mc.gov.pt
Governo civil porto info@govcivilporto.gov.pt

CATHOLIC CHURCH
Secretariado Diocesano de Pastoral Juvenil (SDPJ) juventude@patriarcado-lisboa.pt
Bispo Auxiliar do Porto domantoniocarrilho@diocese-porto.pt
Bispo Diocesano do Porto domarmindo@diocese-porto.pt

PARLIAMENT
GABINETE  DO PRESIDENTE DA ASSEMBLEIA DA REPÚBLICA gabpar@ar.parlamento.pt

POLITICAL PARTIES - PARLAMENTARY GROUPS
Grupo Parlamentar do Partido Socialista gp_ps@ps.parlamento.pt
Grupo Parlamentar do Partido Social Democrata gp_psd@psd.parlamento.pt
Grupo Parlamentar do Partido Comunista Português gp_pcp@pcp.parlamento.pt
Grupo Parlamentar do Partido Popular gp_pp@pp.parlamento.pt
Grupo Parlamentar do Bloco de Esquerda blocoar@ar.parlamento.pt
Grupo Parlamentar do Partido Ecologista "Os Verdes" PEV.correio@pev.parlamento.pt

LGBT COLLECTIVES
Associação Ursos de Portugal info@ursosdeportugal.org
ILGA Portugal ilga-portugal@ilga.org
Opus Gay anser@netcabo.pt
rede ex aequo rede@ex-aequo.web.pt
Clube Safo clubesafo@clubesafo.com
PortugalGay.PT info@portugalgay.pt
não te prives naoteprives@yahoo.com
Grupo Lilás  revista_lilas@hotmail.com
Panteras Rosa Panteras.Rosa@sapo.pt
ªT. a.trans@clix.pt

PRESS E TV'S:
Impresa ( Expresso, Visão)      impresa@impresa.pt
Contacto para  Imprensa Clix  imprensa@co.clix.pt
Jornal Público publico@publico.pt
Jornal de Notícias noticias@jn.pt
Diário de Notícias - dnot@dn.pt
Rádio TSF - write on-line (small blue button at the left side - "fale
connosco") - http://tsf.sapo.pt/online/primeira/default.asp
Correio da Manhã - direccao@correiomanha.pt ; reportagem@correiomanha.pt ;
geral@correiomanha.pt ; geral@correiomanha.pt ; redaccao@correiomanha.pt
Agência LUSA - agencialusa@lusa.pt  ; dinformacao@lusa.pt  ;
redaccao@lusa.pt  ; nacional@lusa.pt
RTP - write on-line: http://www.rtp.pt/wportal/participe/formulario.php
TVI - write on-line (at the link for "direcção de informação - aqui"):
http://www.tvi.iol.pt/artigo.php?id=373399#
SIC/ SIC-NOTÍCIAS contacto@siconline.pt ; atendimento@sic.pt

---------------------------------------------------------------
Steering Mailing List / Part of TgEU.NET
More information in the www.tgeu.net Members Area

 

 

 

 


 

Alert from Pink Panthers of Portugal

regarding scandalous judgment of courts

May 17, 2006

 

 
----- Original Message -----
From: Curtisehinkle@wmconnect.com
To: lynn@ieee.org
Sent: Wednesday, May 17, 2006 8:16 PM
Subject: PLEASE READ AND FORWARD THIS MESSAGE

 

PLEASE READ AND FORWARD THIS MESSAGE
Translated from the Spanish by Curtis E. Hinkle on behalf of the Pateras Rosa

The group Pink Panthers (Panteras Rosa of Portugal) is asking for international support against the scandalous judgment of the courts which let the murderers of the transsexual woman Gisberta go scot free and is requesting for solidarity in denouncing this in front of Portuguese embassies and consulates this coming June 8.

The judge decided to suspend the sentence against the aggressors which was to be rendered in mid-May, because in his opinion "Gisberta died from drowning and did not die directly from causes related" to the brutal beating she received.  (The fact that she was dragged and thrown into the well by the aggressors does not seem relevant) The crime remains therefore unpunished and the aggressors free.

For more information:
www.panterasrosa.com
Article in Spanish: http://www.diagonalperiodico.net/pdf30/43diagonal30-web.pdf
You can read an article I translated from Portuguese about this at:
http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/conway/TS/News/Portugal/Look%20in%20the%20Mirror,%20Portugal.html

POR FAVOR LEE Y DIFUNDE ESTE MENSAJE

El grupo Panteras Rosa (Portugal) pide apoyo internacional ante la escandalosa decisión judicial por la que queda impune el asesinato de la transexual Gisberta y convoca a concentraciones de denuncia frente a embajadas y consulados portugueses para el próximo día 8 de junio.

El juez ha decidido suspender el juicio contra los agresores, previsto para mediados de mayo, dado que en su opinón "Gisberta murió ahogada y no murió por causas directamente relacionadas" con la brutal paliza que recibió. (El que muriera ahogada en el pozo adonde la arrojaron los agresores no parece ser un dato relevante en opinión del juez.) El crimen queda, por tanto, impune y los agresores, en libertad.

Más información:  
www.panterasrosa.com
Artículo en castellano: http://www.diagonalperiodico.net/pdf30/43diagonal30-web.pdf

 

 

 


 

European TransGender Network

May 19, 2006

 

 

TRANSSEXUAL MURDERED IN PORTUGAL
ENSUING COVER UP OF A HATE CRIME

APPEAL FOR INTERNATIONAL ACTION ON 8 JUNE

Dear TransGenders, dear Communities, dear Friends,

February 2006, Gisberta Salce Júnior, a Brazilian transsexual living in
extreme social exclusion in the Portuguese city of Oporto, was tortured and
anally raped with sticks over a period of three days and then thrown into a
pit and left to die in an abandoned construction site.

A group of  twelve to fourteen adolescent boys between the age of 12 and 16
admitted to committing this crime. The youths were living in a "minor
protection" institution run by the Catholic church.

Gisberta had been in very poor health. She was HIV Positive, and had
tuberculosis. She lived on the streets, and engaged in sex work to earn some
money.

This crime was given misleading coverage in the Portuguese media. The
judiciary defined it down and the political establishment ignored it. This
mistreatment ranged from trying to dehumanise Gisberta. The press refused to
publish her photo, by echoing the church hierarchy's insinuation that she
had harassed the boys, by neglecting to mention that she was transsexual and
by ignoring the public statements of the LGBT organisations.

Recent developments raise the likelihood that not even the oldest boy ,
who's
age would allow to be held legally responsible for his actions, will have to
face trial for murder. In fact the case is being addressed by justice as a
case of simple aggression. In Portugal, everything possible is being done to
forget this horrible crime - without consequences, actions or legal changes.

Gisberta Salce Júnior's accumulation of social exclusion and degradation
clearly lays bare the marginalisation of transsexuals in Portugal. Her case
is a very clear demonstration of the high level of aggression and
transphobic attitudes in Portuguese society. Any public debate is stifled in
Portugal before it even starts -  and cannot be restarted without
international pressure.

Therefore, the European TransGender Network in cooperation with Portuguese
organisations sends out this appeal for international action on 8 June in
front of Portuguese embassies and consulates
in order to express support for the efforts of Portuguese activists and
encourage the Portuguese government to acknowledge that a very serious
hate-crime took place and to take responsibility.

We call for:

* a fundamental reform of the "minor protection" system in Portugal (*)

* a social policy of assistance for marginalized groups - including
immigrants, persons with HIV, homeless persons, drug users and sex workers -
instead of a politics of exclusion.

* the explicit inclusion of "gender identity" in anti discrimination
legislation and protection in hate crimes that are motivated by transphobia
to penal legislation.

* initiatives to promote awareness for the situation of transgendered
persons and to work against transphobic and homophobic attitudes in school,
on the work place, in police forces and in the general population.

* full gender recognition including the right to free choice of first
names and a "gender recognition" law similar to the British "Gender
Recognition Act of 2004".

* less patronising medical treatment of transsexuals, including free
access to medical treatment and free choice of medical practitioners,
financial support for surgery and treatments abroad, to promote correct
medical formation for this area in the Portuguese health system.

The TGEUnet urges all concerned activists and organizations in Europe and
around the world to plan for actions on this date and to inform us what is
to be undertaken to the following contacts:
jo.sch@tgeu.net and svitorino@gmail.com.

A documentary - "Gisberta | Liberdade" - has been filmed by TGEUnet and
Portuguese activists. Release date is May 26. This film on DVD will be
available on request from the above contacts to support international
discussion and mobilization for June 8.
Preview: Trailer downloadable from http://tgeu.net.

Love and power

Eurpoean TransGender Network
Steering Committee

http://tgeu.net * tgeurope@tgeu.net

(*) The so-called "minor protection" system pushes half of the "protected
minors" to church institutions, mixes children in need of protection from
domestic violence with youth institutionalised for penal reasons and
establishes a system of overcrowded "warehouses" of children and youth that
provide no education and no protection but social exclusion.

A change of this system would need real state investment to install a system
of effective protection, care and education as well as specific formation
for judges that assume the "minor" courts, which is today inexistent.

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

Important Update:

Killers go free - Protests to be made at Portuguese Embassies on June 8th

 

English - Spanish - German

 




PLEASE READ AND FORWARD THIS MESSAGE

Translated from the Spanish by Curtis E. Hinkle
of the Organisation Intersex International
www.intersexualite.org
on behalf of the Pateras Rosa

The group Pink Panthers (Panteras Rosa of Portugal) is asking for
international support against the scandalous judgment of the courts
which let the murderers of the transsexual woman Gisberta go scot free
and is requesting for solidarity in denouncing this in front of
Portuguese embassies and consulates this coming June 8.

The judge decided to suspend the sentence against the aggressors which
was to be rendered in mid-May, because in his opinion "Gisberta died
from drowning and did not die directly from causes related" to the
brutal beating she received.  (The fact that she was dragged and
thrown into the well by the aggressors does not seem relevant) The
crime remains therefore unpunished and the aggressors free.

For more information:
www.panterasrosa.com
Article in Spanish:
http://www.diagonalperiodico.net/pdf30/43diagonal30-web.pdf
You can read an article I translated from Portuguese about this at:
http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/conway/TS/News/Portugal/Look%20in%20the%20Mirror,%20Portugal.html
 

 


 

POR FAVOR LEE Y DIFUNDE ESTE MENSAJE

El grupo Panteras Rosa (Portugal) pide apoyo internacional ante la
escandalosa decisión judicial por la que queda impune el asesinato de
la transexual Gisberta y convoca a concentraciones de denuncia frente
a embajadas y consulados portugueses para el próximo día 8 de junio.

El juez ha decidido suspender el juicio contra los agresores, previsto
para mediados de mayo, dado que en su opinón "Gisberta murió ahogada y
no murió por causas directamente relacionadas" con la brutal paliza
que recibió. (El que muriera ahogada en el pozo adonde la arrojaron
los agresores no parece ser un dato relevante en opinión del juez.) El
crimen queda, por tanto, impune y los agresores, en libertad.

Más información:
www.panterasrosa.com
Artículo en castellano:
http://www.diagonalperiodico.net/pdf30/43diagonal30-web.pdf




BITTE LEST DIESE NACHRICHT UND LEITET SIE WEITER

Übersetzt aus der englischen Übersetzung des spanischen Originals, die
Curtis E. Hinkle von der Organisation Intersex Original
www.intersexualite.org
im Namen der Pateras Rosa angefertigt hat.

Die Gruppe Rosa Panther Pink Panthers (Panteras Rosa of Portugal) bittet um
internationale Unterstützung gegen die skandalöse Gerichtsentscheidung,
die die Mörder der Transsexuellen Gisberta ungeschoren davonkommenläßt
und bittet darum, am 8. Juni eine Solidaritätskundgebung vor den
portugiesischen Botschaften und Konsulaten durchzuführen.

Das Gericht entschied, das Urteil gegen die Agressoren aufzuheben, das
Mitte Mai gefällt wurde, weil nach seiner Auffassung "Gisberta ertrank und
nicht unmittelbar durch" die brutale Misshandlung gestorben sei. (Die
Tatsache, dass sie an diese Grube gezerrt und hineingestoßen wurde, schein
nicht von Bedeutung zu sein.) Das Verbrechen bleibt deshalb ungesühnt und
die Angreifer in Freiheit.

Weitere Informationen:

www.panterasrosa.com
Article in Spanish:
http://www.diagonalperiodico.net/pdf30/43diagonal30-web.pdf
You can read an article I translated from Portuguese about this at:
http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/conway/TS/News/Portugal/Look%20in%20the%20Mirror,%20Portugal.html

 

 


 

From: "Christine Burns"
To: "'Press for Change News Distribution'"
Sent: Friday, June 09, 2006 1:47 PM
Subject: Portugal: Well known Singer Dedicates Ballad to Gisberta

 

The following brief item comes from the website of "Associação ILGA
Portugal" (ILGA Portugal). Jane tells me that Pedro Abrunhosa is one of
Portugal's best-known singers.

ILGA Europe - http://www.ilga-europe.org/ (English)

ILGA Portugal - http://www.ilga-portugal.pt/ (Portuguese)

- Christine
----

PEDRO ABRUNHOSA DEDICATES A BALLAD TO GISBERTA.

Pedro Abrunhosa's latest composition is a tribute to Gisberta, a
transsexual woman murdered in Oporto in February.  It will be included
in the singer's fifth album, to be released shortly, but Abrunhosa took
everyone by surprise when he presented the song the day before yesterday
at the "Queima das Fitas" show, in Oporto itself.

The show was half-way through when Pedro Abrunhosa announced that just
the day before he'd finished a song that he was dedicating "to a
transsexual woman murdered by a group of delinquents", then going on to
speak a little about Gisberta.  "The Ballad of Gisberta" has a slow
tempo and is in Abrunhosa's usual style.

----

Source: Website of "Associação ILGA Portugal", June 8, 2006, original
article attributed to the newspaper "Correio da Manhã".

Translated by Jane Brook.
 

 

 


 

Link to a video about Gisberta's murder made for the 8th of June protest by the Groupe Activiste Trans' from Paris:

 

Note: Click on banner at the top of the page at the link below. This will take you to the video. Ignore the "error message" on the video page, and click play to watch the video.

 

 

 

----- Original Message -----
From: Carine
To: carine.boeuf@wanadoo.fr
Sent: Sunday, June 11, 2006 2:16 PM
Subject: [transgendervariant] [vidéo] rassemblement du 8 juin à Paris

 
bonjour à touTEs,

la vidéo réalisée par le GAT à l'occasion du rassemblement du 8 juin contre
les autorités consulaires portugaises (meurtre de Gisberta) est disponible
ici :

http://transencolere.free.fr/GISBERTA_8juin06/appel_rassemblement_8juin06.htm
 
Salutations amicales.
 
Carine pour le GAT - Groupe Activiste Trans'
 
---------
 
Good Morning,
 
The video about Gisberta's murder made by the Groupe Activiste Trans' from Paris for the gathering of the 8th june against portugese consular authorities is now available.
 
The video is in french.
__._,_.___
The link is :
http://transencolere.free.fr/GISBERTA_8juin06/appel_rassemblement_8juin06.htm

Best regards.
 
Carine for the  GAT - Groupe Activiste Trans'
 
---------
 
Care/i amiche/i,
 
La video fatta dal Groupe Activiste Trans' da Parigi all'occasione dell'adunanza del 8 giugno contro le autorità consolari portoghesi  è disponibile sul vincolo informatico :
http://transencolere.free.fr/GISBERTA_8juin06/appel_rassemblement_8juin06.htm
 
La video è in francese.
 
Saluti amichevoli.
 
Carine per il Groupe Activiste Trans - GAT.
 
---------
 
La video hecha por el Groupe Activiste Trans' de Paris para la concentracion del 8 de junio en contra de las autoridades consulares portugeses  es disponible.
 
el vinculo informatico es :
La video es en francés.
 
Saludos amigables.
 
Carine por el GAT - Groupe Activiste Trans'
 
------
 
La video feta pel Groupe Activiste Trans' per de Paris per a concentracio del 8 de juny contra les autoritats consulars portugueses és disponible.
 
El vincle informàtic és :
La video és en francès.
 
Us saludo amicalment.
 
Carine pel GAT - Groupe Activiste Trans'
 
------
 
A video feita pelo Groupe Activiste Trans' de Paris pela reuniao de 8 de junho contra as autoridades consulares portuguesas é disponivel.
 
O ligaçao informatico é :
A video é em francês.
 
Saudaçaos amigaveis.
 
Carine pelo GAT - Groupe Activiste Trans'.

 

 

 


 


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