Turkey Raids LGBTQ+ Groups Under Obscenity Laws
Turkish authorities have launched a sweeping crackdown on the LGBTQ+ community, detaining over 150 demonstrators and targeting advocacy groups in simultaneous raids across multiple cities. According to Emma Sinclair-Webb, of Human Rights Watch, the operation represents the widest crackdown on LGBTQ+ people in recent years. Prosecutors defended the sweep by citing laws prohibiting obscenity and violations governing non-governmental organizations.
Simultaneous Police Raids Target Advocacy Offices
Police carried out coordinated early-morning raids on offices belonging to LGBTQ+ rights organizations and HIV-advocacy groups. According to the Turkish interior ministry, operations hit locations in Istanbul, Ankara, İzmir, Aydın, and Mersin. Video footage released by the ministry showed officers seizing rainbow flags, searching through filing cabinets, and leading individuals away in handcuffs. The Istanbul chief prosecutor’s office reported that officials seized digital equipment, drugs, smuggled alcohol, and a firearm during operations spanning 12 provinces. Prosecutors in Ankara opened a separate investigation into the advocacy group Kaos GL, leading to the detention of executive board members and activists.
Government Links Crackdown to Family Values Campaign
Justice Minister Akın Gürlek stated that the nationwide operations were part of an official initiative titled “My Family is Safe.” According to Gürlek, the sweep aimed to protect children, the institution of the family, and the social order by targeting venues allegedly associated with prostitution and the distribution of obscene material. The campaign aligns with a directive from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan declaring a “Decade of Family and Population” to combat declining birth rates and rising marriage ages. However, human rights defenders strongly criticized the framing. The Turkish Human Rights Association posted on X that the operation represents “state-led discrimination, politics of fear and the dismantling of civil society.” European Parliament Turkey rapporteur Nacho Sanchez Amor similarly labeled the arrests a shocking escalation of repression.
Journalists and Protestors Swept Up in Arrests
The raids quickly triggered street demonstrations that met with heavy police intervention. Riot police deployed tear gas against protesters in İzmir and detained at least 150 demonstrators in Istanbul. The Media and Law Studies Association reported that arrested individuals included Tuğba Tekerek, a journalist who was taken from her home in Istanbul after publishing an article with Kaos GL regarding the LGBTQ+ community in neighboring Georgia. Security forces also detained numerous demonstrators outside an Istanbul courthouse as crowds unfurled banners declaring that being LGBTQ+ is not a crime.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Turkish authorities raid LGBTQ+ organizations?
Prosecutors claim the raids targeted venues and groups violating laws against obscenity and prostitution, while government officials frame the operation as a measure to protect family values and children.
How many people have been detained in the crackdown?
Rights groups tracking the sweeps report that at least 150 demonstrators have been detained alongside dozens of activists and organization members, with authorities confirming dozens held on remand across multiple provinces.
What is the “My Family is Safe” campaign?
It is a government-backed operational sweep linked to President Erdoğan’s initiative to boost declining birth rates and address demographic shifts by targeting activities deemed contrary to general morality.
Pro Tip: When following international civil rights developments, always cross-reference local prosecutor statements with reports from independent monitors like Human Rights Watch and regional press freedom groups to understand the broader legal context.
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