In a dramatic escalation of its long-standing hostility towards the LGBTQ+ community, Turkish authorities have launched a series of coordinated raids across the country. The operations, conducted under the banner of ‘My Family is Safe,’ have targeted activists, organizations, and venues in major cities, marking a significant intensification of the government’s campaign against LGBTQ+ rights.
The crackdown, which began on Sunday, saw police forces swoop down on gay bars, offices, and private residences in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Aydin, and Mersin. At least 63 people have been detained, according to state news agency Anadolu, with prosecutors in multiple cities launching investigations into 162 suspects, nine associations, and 13 businesses.
Justice Minister Akin Gurlek defends the operations
Justice Minister Akin Gurlek has defended the operations, stating that they are aimed at ‘protecting children, the institution of the family, and public order.’ The crackdown aligns with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ‘Decade of Family and Population’ executive order, which seeks to combat Turkey’s falling birth rate. Gurlek emphasized that the state has a constitutional duty to protect families and children from what he described as ‘criminal organizations, abuse networks, or illegal activities.’
The operations have targeted current and former members of multiple LGBTQ+ rights and HIV awareness groups. The websites and social media accounts of several organizations were blocked in the days leading up to the raids. Prosecutors have alleged that evidence shows children and teenagers have been improperly influenced on issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity.
LGBTQ+ rights organizations condemn the crackdown
LGBTQ+ rights organizations have strongly condemned the crackdown, with Kaos GL, one of the targeted groups, reporting that nearly 50 defenders of LGBTQ+ rights have been taken into custody or are subject to legal proceedings. The Turkish Human Rights Association has described the operations as ‘state-led discrimination, politics of fear, and the dismantling of civil society,’ rejecting the government’s justification for the crackdown.
Nacho Sanchez Amor, the European Parliament’s rapporteur on Turkey, has condemned the detentions as ‘a shocking escalation in the repression’ in the country. He has described the imposition of a moral agenda as a ‘blatant violation of fundamental rights and Turkey’s international commitments,’ warning that the country is being led down a ‘dark path.’
The broader context of LGBTQ+ rights in Turkey
The crackdown comes amid a broader context of increasing hostility towards the LGBTQ+ community in Turkey. The governing AK Party banned Istanbul Pride in 2015, and any attempted gatherings since then have been violently dispersed by authorities. This summer, Turkey also refused entry to an LGBTQ+ cruise ship that had previously docked in the country on numerous occasions while sailing through the Mediterranean.
Analysts suggest that Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, has intensified its anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric in an effort to appeal to more conservative segments of its electoral base. The government has previously described LGBTQ+ people as ‘perverts’ and blamed them for the country’s declining birth rate. LGBTQ+ and women’s rights activists are among the most prominent groups opposing Erdogan’s Islamist government, which has ruled Turkey since 2002.
The Ottoman Empire, from which the modern Turkish republic emerged, decriminalized same-sex relations as early as 1858. However, modern Turkey continues to see widespread discrimination and hostility towards LGBTQ+ people, with the recent crackdown highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by the community in the country.
