Turkey: 162 arrested in LGBTQ+ raids
Turkish authorities have arrested 162 people during widespread raids targeting LGBTQ+ bars, activists' homes, and HIV support groups across five cities. The crackdown includes online censorship and the blocking of social media accounts. In Izmir, a court has jailed 16 individuals following these operations. Protests against the detentions erupted outside Istanbul's Caglayan courthouse on September 15, where police used tear gas to disperse crowds and detained at least 150 demonstrators. The European Union has expressed concern over the police actions.
Listen to Live Briefing
Real-time synthesized voice briefing · Live Feeds Desk
- ✓ Turkish police carried out raids on LGBTQ+ bars and the homes of activists.
- ✓ Authorities targeted HIV support groups as part of the crackdown.
- ✓ A court in Izmir jailed 16 people following raids on LGBTQ+ groups.
- ✓ Turkish authorities blocked online accounts and implemented censorship targeting the LGBTI+ community.
What changed
Police detained at least 150 people on September 15 during protests at an Istanbul courthouse.
Live updates
-
Turkey Detains Hundreds in LGBTQ+ and HIV Support Group Crackdown
Turkish authorities have arrested 162 people during widespread raids targeting LGBTQ+ bars, activists' homes, and HIV support groups across five cities. The crackdown includes online censorship and the blocking of social media accounts. In Izmir, a court has jailed 16 individuals following these operations. Protests against the detentions erupted outside Istanbul's Caglayan courthouse on September 15, where police used tear gas to disperse crowds and detained at least 150 demonstrators. The European Union has expressed concern over the police actions.
Why it matters
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Islamist-rooted AK Party have a long history of targeting the LGBTQ+ community. This current wave of midnight raids and censorship represents a coordinated effort to suppress activist networks and health support groups.
What is confirmed
- Turkish police carried out raids on LGBTQ+ bars and the homes of activists.
- Authorities targeted HIV support groups as part of the crackdown.
- A court in Izmir jailed 16 people following raids on LGBTQ+ groups.
- Turkish authorities blocked online accounts and implemented censorship targeting the LGBTI+ community.
- Police used tear gas to disperse pro-LGBTQ+ protesters.
- The European Union expressed concern regarding the anti-LGBTQ+ raids.
Still unconfirmed
- 162 people were arrested in the initial raids.
- At least 150 people were detained on September 15 at Istanbul's Caglayan courthouse.
What to watch next
- Court rulings on the 16 jailed individuals in Izmir
- Official statements from the Turkish government regarding the legal basis for the raids
- Further responses from EU diplomatic missions in Turkey
confidence 90%Sources used for this update (16)
- dw.com — Turkey: 162 arrested in LGBTQ+ raids
- BBC — Turkish police detain dozens in raids on gay bars and homes of LGBTQ+ activists
- AP News — Turkish authorities launch crackdown on LGBTQ+ and HIV support groups
- Bianet — Widespread police raids, online censorship target Turkey’s LGBTI+ community in new crackdown
- The Times of Israel — Turkish police carry out widespread raids on LGBTQ bars, activists’ homes
- Bloomberg.com — Turkey Cracks Down on LGBTQ+ Groups, Blocks Online Accounts
- CNN — Turkey detains dozens after sweeping raids targeting LGBTQ+ groups
- aljazeera.com — Turkish authorities launch anti-LGBTQ raids, detaining dozens
- france24.com — Dozens arrested in major anti-LGBTQ raids in Turkey
- Reuters — Turkish court jails 16 in Izmir after raids on LGBTQ+ groups
- Le Monde.fr — EU 'concerned' about Turkey anti-LGBTQ raids
- France 24 — Turkey police disperse pro-LGBTQ protesters with tear gas
Community Sentiment: How do you assess this situation?
Voice your perspective · Real-time aggregated sentiment from the Live Feeds community