Turkish authorities detained 47 individuals during a series of weekend raids targeting gay bars and the residences of LGBTQ+ activists across 12 provinces, officials confirmed. The operation falls under a government initiative described as “My Family is Safe,” which Ankara states is designed to uphold traditional family values.
Among the targets was Kaos GL, a prominent LGBTQ+ association. The Istanbul chief prosecutor’s office reported that police arrested 26 people and confiscated items including drugs, digital devices, smuggled alcohol, and a firearm. Separately, the Ankara prosecutor’s office announced the detention of another 21 individuals as part of an investigation into Kaos GL.
Kaos GL stated that 50 of its activists were detained, with more than 10 taken following raids on their homes. The organization also alleged that authorities blocked access to several websites and social media accounts linked to LGBTQ+ groups. According to Kaos GL, officials accused the group of publishing “obscenity” accessible to children and demanded the shutdown of its X account, along with those of approximately 15 other LGBTQ+ organizations.
While same-sex relations are not criminalized in Turkey, homophobia remains widespread. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has previously referred to LGBTQ+ people as “perverts” and blamed them for declining birth rates. Same-sex marriage is also not recognized in the country.
Turkish Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said legal proceedings have been initiated against more than 160 individuals and various organizations and companies nationwide as part of the “My Family is Safe” campaign, which he linked to the broader “Decade of the Family” initiative. He did not specify how many people had been taken into custody.
The Turkish Human Rights Association criticized the government’s actions, arguing that the campaign has been used in recent years to target the LGBTQ+ community. “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 organization said on X.
The arrests come amid a history of tension between Turkish authorities and LGBTQ+ advocates. Riot police have frequently dispersed activists during attempted pride parades, including a banned event in Istanbul where officers in black uniforms and gas masks chased demonstrators carrying rainbow flags.
Classic move to blame minorities for societal problems. Using ‘protecting children’ as an excuse has been around for decades elsewhere. How is this any different?
Wait, 47 people detained in one weekend? That is a massive number. Does anyone know how many were actually charged versus just held for questioning?
Why is the government focusing on personal lives instead of the economy? This feels like a distraction from real issues facing the country right now.
This is terrifying. Calling it state-led discrimination seems accurate given the scale of these raids across twelve provinces.