Turkey Launches Nationwide Raids on LGBTQ+ and HIV Support Groups
Turkish authorities conducted simultaneous police raids across multiple cities targeting LGBTQ+ rights groups and HIV support organizations. The operation, part of the "My Family is Safe" campaign, resulted in dozens of detentions and website blocks, drawing condemnation from human rights groups.
Police raids began at 1 a.m. on Sunday morning in major Turkish cities, including Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Aydin, and Mersin. The operations targeted LGBTQ+ rights groups, HIV support organizations, and associated businesses.
Justice Minister Akin Gürlek announced that the investigation involved 162 suspects, nine associations, and 13 businesses. The government stated that the raids were part of the "My Family is Safe" campaign, designed to protect children, family institutions, and public order. Gürlek noted that the targeted associations received significant funding from international sources, citing this as a concern for the investigation.
BBC News reported that 47 people were detained in total, with 26 held by the Istanbul chief prosecutor's office and 21 by the Ankara chief prosecutor's office. However, Kaos GL, an LGBTQ+ association, claimed that 50 activists had been detained during the raids.
Authorities blocked websites and social media accounts linked to LGBTQ+ organizations, including demanding the shutdown of Kaos GL's X account. During raids in Istanbul, officers seized drugs, digital equipment, smuggled alcohol, and a firearm. Charges filed against suspects included forming a criminal organization, drug offenses, prostitution, and obscenity.
The Human Rights Association condemned the raids as a political operation aimed at forcing society into a monolithic family model and purging independent civil society. Critics argue the crackdown escalates hostility toward LGBTQ+ groups ahead of elections.