Turkish authorities have detained at least 47 individuals following a series of raids on the offices of LGBTQ+ associations, as part of a probe into alleged prostitution and obscenity. The crackdown, described by the government as an effort to protect family values, has drawn criticism from human rights groups and international bodies.
The Istanbul chief prosecutor's office reported that operations were conducted over the weekend across 12 provinces, targeting 38 suspects. Detentions numbered 26, with authorities seizing drugs, digital equipment, smuggled alcohol, and a firearm. In a separate investigation, the Ankara chief prosecutor's office stated that 21 additional individuals were detained in relation to the LGBTQ+ association Kaos GL, with five still at large.
Kaos GL reported that over 50 activists were detained, including more than 10 arrested in police raids on their homes. The association also noted that access to numerous websites and social media accounts associated with LGBTQ+ organizations, activists, and advocates was blocked.
The government's initiative, named "My Family is Safe," coincides with President Tayyip Erdogan's promotion of a "Decade of Family and Population" aimed at addressing declining birth rates and an aging demographic. However, rights groups have accused the Turkish government of increasingly targeting the LGBTQ+ community through escalated rhetoric and restrictive measures.
The Turkish Human Rights Association criticized the operation on X, stating, "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." Nacho Sanchez Amor, the European Parliament's Turkey rapporteur, characterized the arrests as a "shocking escalation" of repression and a violation of fundamental rights and Turkey's international commitments.
Prosecutors indicated that evidence suggests children and underage youths were being inappropriately influenced regarding sexual orientation and gender identity. Justice Minister Akin Gurlek confirmed that investigations coordinated across Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Aydin, and Mersin involve judicial proceedings against 162 suspects, nine associations, and 13 businesses in 15 provinces.
