Turkey Detains 162 in Weekend Raids Targeting LGBTQ+ Organizations

Turkish police conducted weekend raids across the country, arresting at least 162 individuals and searching the offices of six LGBTQ+ associations. The operations were part of a broader government initiative aimed at safeguarding traditional family values and protecting children from what officials described as harmful influences.

Justice Minister Akin Gurlek stated that the investigations, which were coordinated by prosecutors in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Aydin, and Mersin, resulted in judicial proceedings against 162 suspects. The actions also targeted nine associations and 13 businesses spanning 15 provinces. “As per the duty to protect families and children given to the state by the constitution, no criminal organization, abuse network or illegal activity which targets children, youths or families will be tolerated!” Gurlek wrote on social media.

Authorities reported seizing drugs, digital equipment, smuggled alcohol, and a firearm during the operations, which focused on gay bars, nightclubs, and a hammam alleged to be a site of prostitution. The Istanbul prosecutor’s office claimed that evidence indicated children and minors were being inappropriately influenced regarding sexual orientation and gender identity.

The campaign, branded as “My Family is Safe,” aligns with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s “Decade of Family and Population” policy, designed to counteract the nation’s declining birthrate. Officials asserted that the raids intended to prevent LGBTQ+ activities from being perceived as normal, framing the crackdown as a defense of shared moral values and the institution of the family.

Kaos GL, an Ankara-based LGBTQ+ rights group, criticized the move as an unfair targeting of the community. The group reported that in addition to the arrests, the government had blocked access to dozens of websites and social media accounts associated with these organizations and rights advocates. Kaos GL noted that the group had been accused of allowing children access to “posts containing obscenities.” 

While same-sex relations are not illegal in Turkey, homophobia remains widespread. President Erdogan has previously blamed LGBTQ+ individuals for the country’s falling birthrates, a stance human rights observers argue diverts attention from the structural economic factors driving demographic changes. Between 2013 and 2023, Turkey’s total fertility rate dropped from 2.11 to 1.51, a shift analysts attribute to financial instability, inflation, high housing costs, limited childcare access, and increasing educational and employment opportunities for women rather than lifestyle choices.