Turkey Arrests 162 in Crackdown Targeting LGBTQ+ Community

Turkish authorities have initiated legal proceedings against 162 people in a nationwide operation targeting LGBTQ+ activists, organisations and businesses, according to government officials and rights groups.

The operation reportedly covered 12 provinces and was conducted as part of the government’s “My Family Is Safe” campaign, which authorities say is aimed at protecting traditional family values.

Justice Minister Akin Gürlek said proceedings had been launched against 162 suspects, nine associations and 13 businesses over allegations including pornography and the production of obscene content. Police operations reportedly targeted LGBTQ+ activists, rights organisations, gay bars, websites and social media accounts linked to the community.

In Istanbul, prosecutors said 26 people were detained. Police reportedly recovered drugs, digital devices, smuggled alcohol and a firearm during the operation.

A further 21 people were reportedly arrested in Ankara in an investigation involving LGBTQ+ rights organisation Kaos GL. The organisation said at least 50 activists had been detained, including 10 people who were arrested during raids on their homes.

Rights groups condemned the operation, describing it as a politically motivated campaign against LGBTQ+ people and independent civil society. Turkey’s Human Rights Association accused authorities of using allegations involving criminal organisations, drugs, prostitution and obscenity to stigmatise the wider LGBTQ+ community.

The crackdown comes amid President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s broader “Decade of Family and Population” initiative, which promotes traditional family structures and seeks to address the country’s declining birth rate.

European Parliament rapporteur for Turkey, Nacho Sánchez Amor, described the arrests as a “shocking escalation” of repression and warned that the government’s moral agenda was undermining fundamental rights.

Same-sex relations remain legal in Turkey, but LGBTQ+ organisations have long accused the government of discriminatory policies and increasing restrictions on their activities.

Prosecutors have also alleged that children were being improperly influenced on issues relating to sexual orientation and gender identity. However, the allegations against the detained individuals and the organisations targeted have not been established in court.