Turkish police detained dozens of people in Istanbul on Tuesday as authorities intensified a crackdown targeting LGBTQ+ activists, organisations and venues.
The latest arrests came as protesters gathered outside Istanbul’s main courthouse to demand the release of activists detained during weekend raids. Authorities had raided gay bars and the homes of activists over the weekend as part of an operation the government calls “My Family is Safe”. The government says the campaign is aimed at protecting family values.
At Tuesday’s protest, demonstrators chanted for freedom and called for the release of those detained. Police made several arrests after protesters displayed a banner reading, “Being LGBTQ is not a crime.” The operation has also involved raids on association offices, arrests and restrictions on websites and social media accounts belonging to LGBTQ+ and rights organisations.
According to the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, Turkey’s justice minister said the operation targets 162 individuals, nine associations and 13 businesses across 15 provinces. The commissioner expressed concern over the arrests, raids and blocking of online accounts targeting LGBTQ+ civil society and human rights defenders.
The Council of Europe has also called on Turkish authorities to ensure that legal proceedings against activists and organisations respect fundamental rights. Its Congress said restrictions should meet requirements of legality, necessity and proportionality. Same-sex relations are not criminalised in Turkey, although LGBTQ+ people continue to face discrimination and hostility. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has repeatedly used hostile language when discussing LGBTQ+ issues.
The latest crackdown follows other restrictions on LGBTQ+ groups in Turkey. Human Rights Watch has documented bans on Pride events and broader restrictions affecting LGBTQ+ rights and civil society.
