Turkish police raid LGBTQ groups across 15 provinces and detain dozens of activists

Nationwide raids and detentions

Turkish law enforcement conducted coordinated raids across the country over the weekend, entering 38 separate locations including private residences, workplaces, and the headquarters of advocacy groups. The police operations focused on several metropolitan areas including Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, and Antalya, searching the offices of at least six non-governmental organizations. According to figures released by the Istanbul chief public prosecutor's office, security personnel took 26 individuals into custody during the initial enforcement actions. The Ankara-based rights organization Kaos GL, which advocates for homosexual, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals, contested the official tally, reporting that at least 50 activists were detained across the country. The group stated that police officers forced entry into its headquarters and arrested members of its executive board.

Scope of charges and official justifications

The state-run Anadolu news agency reported that the operation follows formal investigations involving accusations of establishing an organization to commit crimes, prostitution, obscenity, and drug possession. The Istanbul prosecutor's office stated that evidence gathered during the inquiry showed that the organizations influenced minors regarding sexual orientation and gender identity. Judicial authorities announced that the operation, carried out under the title "My Family is Safe", seeks to prevent such activities from being treated as normal in society, citing the welfare of children, the preservation of the institution of family, and the protection of shared moral values. Turkish Justice Minister Akin Gurlek confirmed that the investigation reaches across 15 provinces, covering a total of 162 suspects, nine organizations, and 13 commercial enterprises. State prosecutors indicated that security forces continue to search for additional suspects connected to the investigation.

Digital censorship and rights group condemnation

Alongside the physical raids and arrests, Turkish authorities implemented widespread digital restrictions targeting advocacy networks. The Istanbul-based Freedom of Expression Association, known as IFOD, reported on Saturday that access to numerous social media accounts belonging to LGBTQ groups was blocked. The government also disabled the official websites and online communication channels of dozens of civil society organizations and individual activists. Human rights organizations condemned the coordinated enforcement actions as an escalation in state pressure against minority groups and civil society. The Turkish Human Rights Association published a formal statement on the online platform X criticizing the government's rhetoric.

The true name for this operation is not 'My Family is Safe'; it is state-directed discrimination, a policy of fear, and the dismantling of civil society.

Demographic policy and prior crackdowns

The police actions coincide with a broader administrative push by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been promoting a national initiative termed the "Decade of the Family and Population". Government officials maintain that the policy framework is necessary to reverse declining domestic birth rates and manage the demographic challenges of an aging population. While consensual same-sex relations are not illegal under Turkish criminal statutes, President Erdogan and senior government representatives regularly express explicit opposition to LGBTQ organizations. Administrative crackdowns have expanded since the 2014 Istanbul Pride march, which attracted more than 100,000 participants before municipal authorities began issuing annual bans on security grounds. In 2023, police forces detained numerous participants during unauthorized Pride gatherings in Istanbul.