Turkey detains dozens in raids of bars, homes in crackdown on LGBTQ community

Summary

Turkish authorities reportedly detained at least 63 people in raids targeting LGBTQ venues, activists, and organizations across several provinces, including Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir. Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said legal proceedings had begun against 162 suspects, nine organizations, and 13 companies as part of “My Family is Safe” operations connected to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s declared “Decade of the Family.” Authorities said the campaign was intended to protect children, the family, and social order. LGBTQ organization Kaos GL said nearly 50 rights defenders had been detained, questioned, or placed under legal proceedings, including its leaders after its offices were searched. Prosecutors reportedly accused the group of distributing obscene material accessible to children. The operations followed the blocking of accounts belonging to more than a dozen LGBTQ organizations on X. Human Rights Association and European Parliament rapporteur Nacho Sanchez Amor condemned the actions as political repression and violations of fundamental rights. Same-sex relations are not criminalized in Turkey, but the article describes widespread social discrimination, repeated bans and dispersals of Istanbul Pride, and growing government hostility toward LGBTQ groups. The reported detention totals differ, and the article does not independently verify all official or activist claims.