Turkey’s LGBTQ+ crackdown intensifies: 47 detained, activists and gay bars raided

The raids were carried out across 12 provinces over the weekend under an operation dubbed “My Family is Safe”. The Turkish government says the campaign is intended to protect family values, the BBC reported.

One of the targets was Kaos GL, an LGBTQ+ rights association.

Police detained 26 people and seized drugs, digital equipment, smuggled alcohol and a firearm during the raids, according to the Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office, as reported by the BBC.

Another 21 people were reportedly detained as part of an investigation involving Kaos GL. The organisation has been protesting against the crackdown and what it describes as increasing pressure on LGBTQ+ communities across the country.

Kaos GL also claimed that Turkish authorities had blocked access to its online newspaper, KaosGL.org.

Meanwhile, Turkish Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said authorities had launched judicial proceedings against 162 suspects, nine associations and 13 businesses as part of coordinated “My Family is Safe” operations across 15 provinces, Turkiye Today reported.

According to Gurlek, the investigations involve suspected offences including facilitating prostitution or providing premises for prostitution, producing or distributing obscene content, and activities allegedly exposing children to such material.

In a separate post on X, Gurlek said the operations were being conducted in line with the government’s “2026–2035 Decade of Family and Population” vision and a presidential general circular.

“In line with the 2026–2035 Decade of Family and Population vision put forward by our President, His Excellency Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and in accordance with General Circular No. 2026/4 of the Presidency; we are steadfastly continuing our efforts to protect our children, the institution of the family, and the social order,” he wrote.

The crackdown has drawn criticism from the European Union.

“The commission is concerned about the recent arrests and legal proceedings initiated against LGBTIQ+ activists, human rights associations and businesses,” Christian Wigand, a spokesperson for the European Commission, told Le Monde.

Amnesty Türkiye also criticised the arrests in a post on X, saying that defending human rights and LGBT+ rights should not be treated as a crime. The organisation called for those detained to be released immediately and unconditionally and urged authorities to end what it described as pressure targeting LGBTQ+ people and their advocacy activities.

Nacho Sánchez Amor, the European Parliament’s Turkey rapporteur, also criticised the crackdown.

“Stop weaponising ‘family values’ to persecute LGBTI people!” he wrote on X.

Same-sex marriage is not legally recognised in Turkey.