Turkish authorities have detained at least 47 people in a series of raids targeting gay bars and the homes of LGBTQ+ activists across 12 provinces, officials say.
The raids, conducted over the weekend, form part of a government campaign known as “My Family is Safe,” which authorities say is aimed at protecting family values.
One of the organisations targeted was Kaos GL, a prominent LGBTQ+ rights association.
According to the Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office, police detained 26 people during the raids and seized drugs, digital equipment, smuggled alcohol and a firearm.
In a separate operation in Ankara, the Chief Prosecutor’s Office said 21 additional people had been detained as part of an investigation involving Kaos GL.
However, Kaos GL said the number of activists detained was higher, putting the figure at 50, including more than 10 people who were taken into custody after police searched their homes.
The organisation also claimed that authorities had blocked several websites and social media accounts belonging to LGBTQ+ groups.
Kaos GL Accused of ‘Obscenity’
Kaos GL said authorities accused it of publishing “obscenity” in online posts that were accessible to children.
The group further alleged that officials had sought the closure of its X account, along with those of about 15 other LGBTQ+ organisations.
Human rights groups have accused the Turkish government of using the “My Family is Safe” campaign as a means of increasing pressure on the LGBTQ+ community and restricting civil society organisations.
The Turkish Human Rights Association described the operation as part of a broader campaign of discrimination and intimidation.
“The real name of this operation is not ‘My Family is Safe’; it is state-led discrimination, politics of fear and the dismantling of civil society,” the organisation said on X.
Government Defends Campaign
Turkish Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said legal proceedings had been initiated against more than 160 people, as well as several organisations and companies, as part of the campaign.
He did not disclose how many people had been detained in total but linked the operations to the government’s “Decade of the Family” campaign.
Same-sex relationships are not criminalised in Turkey, but same-sex marriage is not legally recognised.
LGBTQ+ people also face widespread discrimination, while President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly used derogatory language when referring to the community and has linked LGBTQ+ issues to concerns over Turkey’s declining birth rate.
The latest raids have renewed concerns among rights groups over the government’s treatment of LGBTQ+ people and its growing restrictions on organisations advocating for their rights.
