Turkish authorities have detained at least 47 people during coordinated raids targeting LGBTQ+ organisations, activists, homes and community venues across the country.
The operations form part of a government campaign called “My Family is Safe”, which authorities say is intended to protect children, families and public order.
LGBTQ+ organisations and human rights advocates have condemned the raids as a major escalation in the Turkish Government’s campaign against queer communities and civil society.
At Least 47 People Detained
The Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office said operations were conducted across 12 provinces against 38 suspects over the weekend.
Twenty-six people were detained during those raids, with authorities reporting the seizure of drugs, digital equipment, smuggled alcohol and a firearm.
In a separate investigation, the Ankara Chief Prosecutor’s Office said another 21 people had been detained in connection with LGBTQ+ organisation Kaos GL. Five others were reportedly still being sought.
The confirmed figures bring the number of people detained in the two operations to at least 47.
However, Kaos GL said the actual number was higher, reporting that more than 50 LGBTQ+ activists had been detained. More than 10 were allegedly taken during police raids on their homes.
The organisation said authorities had also blocked access to dozens of websites and social media accounts connected with LGBTQ+ groups, activists and human rights advocates.
Wider Investigation Targets 162 People
Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said the wider investigation involved judicial proceedings against 162 people, nine associations and 13 businesses across 15 provinces.
Those figures refer to the overall investigation and should not be treated as confirmation that all 162 people have been arrested.
The proceedings are being coordinated by prosecutors in Istanbul, Ankara, İzmir, Aydın and Mersin.
Authorities have framed the operations as investigations into alleged prostitution, obscenity and other criminal activity.
Prosecutors also claimed there was evidence that children and young people were being inappropriately influenced on issues involving sexual orientation and gender identity.
The allegations have not yet been tested in court.
LGBTQ+ advocates argue that authorities are using accusations involving children, morality and “family values” to criminalise legitimate community organising and silence queer visibility.
Kaos GL Among Organisations Targeted
Kaos GL is one of Turkey’s oldest and most prominent LGBTQ+ rights organisations.
Founded in 1994, the association provides advocacy, reporting and community support while documenting discrimination and violence experienced by LGBTQ+ people.
Its office in Ankara was among the locations targeted during the raids.
The operation also reportedly reached organisations working in HIV support, along with LGBTQ+-friendly venues and other businesses.
The Turkish Human Rights Association condemned the crackdown, saying: “The real name of this operation is not ‘My Family is Safe’; it is state-led discrimination, politics of fear and the dismantling of civil society.”
Nacho Sánchez Amor, the European Parliament’s standing rapporteur on Turkey, described the mass detentions as a shocking escalation in repression.
He accused the government of imposing a moral agenda that violated fundamental rights and Turkey’s international commitments.
Erdoğan’s Government Intensifies ‘Family Values’ Campaign
The crackdown comes as President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan promotes what his government has called a “Decade of Family and Population”.
The initiative is presented as a response to Turkey’s declining birth rate and ageing population.
However, LGBTQ+ organisations fear queer people are being positioned as a threat to families and children as the government expands its socially conservative agenda.
Although same-sex relationships are legal in Turkey, LGBTQ+ people lack comprehensive anti-discrimination protections and same-sex relationships receive no legal recognition.
Authorities have banned Istanbul Pride since 2015, while other LGBTQ+ marches, screenings, community gatherings and public events have repeatedly been prohibited or disrupted.
Government rhetoric has also increasingly associated LGBTQ+ identities with obscenity, social decline and threats to children.
Rights groups say the “My Family is Safe” operation represents a dangerous shift from restrictions on public events towards coordinated raids on the organisations and individuals supporting queer communities.
Australian LGBTQ+ Travellers Urged To Remain Cautious
The raids will also be concerning for LGBTQ+ Australians travelling to Turkey.
Australia’s Smartraveller service says same-sex relationships are legal in the country but are not widely accepted socially.
It warns that LGBTQ+ events and gatherings can be subjected to government bans, including during Pride Week, and advises travellers to avoid public displays of affection.
Smartraveller currently recommends Australians exercise a high degree of caution in Turkey overall. That national advice is primarily connected to terrorism and regional security risks, with higher warning levels applying near parts of the Syrian and Iraqi borders.
Australians should also be aware that Turkish authorities can impose restrictions on public gatherings without warning and that people have been arrested over social media posts.
The latest crackdown does not mean every LGBTQ+ visitor will be targeted. However, it demonstrates the increasingly hostile environment facing local queer communities, activists and organisations.
A Dangerous Escalation For Turkish LGBTQ+ Communities
The full legal consequences of the investigations remain unclear.
Authorities have not yet established the allegations against the detained individuals in court, and reporting on the number of people still in custody remains fluid.
What is already clear is the scale of the operation.
Homes, association offices, community venues, websites and social media accounts were reportedly targeted across numerous provinces in a single coordinated campaign.
For LGBTQ+ people in Turkey, these organisations are more than political advocacy groups. They can provide community, legal support, health information and documentation of abuses that might otherwise remain invisible.
Weakening them risks leaving already marginalised people with fewer places to seek help.
The language of protecting families does not change who is carrying the consequences.
Right now, those consequences are being felt by LGBTQ+ activists, community organisations and the people who depend on them.
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