In a move that has sparked international outcry, Turkish authorities have conducted sweeping raids on LGBTQ associations across the country. The operations, part of a campaign dubbed “My Family is Safe,” have led to the detention of at least 162 individuals and the seizure of drugs, digital equipment, smuggled alcohol, and a firearm. The government maintains that these actions are aimed at protecting family values and children, but rights groups argue that the crackdown is a form of state-led discrimination.
Operations across multiple provinces
The raids, coordinated by prosecutors in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Aydin, and Mersin, targeted 38 locations, including offices, homes, and workplaces. The Istanbul chief prosecutor’s office reported that 26 suspects were detained, while the Ankara chief prosecutor’s office announced the detention of a further 21 individuals. The operations also extended to blocking access to dozens of websites and social media accounts linked to LGBTQ organizations and activists.
Kaos GL, an Ankara-based LGBTQ+ rights group, reported that at least 50 activists had been detained, including more than 10 who were taken in police raids on their homes. The group also claimed that authorities had accused them of making “posts containing obscenities” accessible to children.
The government’s stance and international response
Justice Minister Akin Gürlek stated that the investigations were prompted by accusations of prostitution, obscenity, and the establishment of an organization for committing crimes. He emphasized that the state has a constitutional duty to protect families and children, and that no criminal organization or illegal activity targeting these groups would be tolerated.
However, rights groups and international observers have condemned the crackdown. The Turkish Human Rights Association described the operation as “state-led discrimination, politics of fear, and the dismantling of civil society.” Nacho Sanchez Amor, the European Parliament’s Turkey rapporteur, called the wave of arrests “a shocking escalation” of repression and a “blatant violation of fundamental rights.”
The context of Turkey’s family values campaign
The raids are part of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s “Decade of Family and Population” initiative, designed to tackle falling birth rates and an aging demographic. The government has blamed LGBTQ “perverts” for Turkey’s rapidly declining birthrates, a claim that observers argue diverts attention from the actual complexity of reasons for the decline. Structural and institutional factors, such as financial crises, inflation, and limited access to affordable childcare, are more likely contributors to the drop in birthrates.
Despite the government’s claims, same-sex relations are not illegal in Turkey. However, homophobia is rife, and President Erdoğan has repeatedly made anti-LGBT comments. The annual Pride march in Istanbul has been banned since 2015, and the government’s rhetoric and restrictions on the LGBTQ community have intensified in recent years.
The impact on the LGBTQ community
The crackdown has had a chilling effect on the LGBTQ community in Turkey. The blocking of websites and social media accounts has limited the community’s ability to organize and advocate for their rights. The raids and detentions have also created an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty, with many activists and advocates concerned about the future of their work.
As the international community continues to monitor the situation, the Turkish government’s campaign to protect family values remains a contentious issue. The crackdown on LGBTQ groups has raised serious concerns about human rights and the rule of law in Turkey, and the world watches to see how the situation will unfold.
