Turkey detains dozens in crackdown on LGBTQ+ activists and journalists

Live updates

1. 32d ago

   Turkey Widens Crackdown on LGBTQ+ Activists and Independent Media

   Turkish authorities have intensified a sweeping state operation against LGBTQ+ networks, HIV organizations, and journalists, detaining more than 150 people across at least 15 provinces. Citing an obscenity investigation and government concerns over declining birth rates, the state has frozen NGO bank accounts, used tear gas against peaceful protesters, and deployed extreme police force. Courts have blocked access to the independent news portal T24 over allegations of publishing LGBT propaganda, alongside the X account of internet censorship tracker EngelliWeb.

   Why it matters

   The government has linked declining birth rates to different sexual orientations, using this rationale to justify the crackdown against LGBTQ+ organizations. This operation expands state pressure to include independent media outlets and human rights groups that document internet censorship and report on marginalized communities. Journalists warn that treating objective reporting on LGBTQ+ people as a crime severely restricts press freedom.

   What is confirmed

   • Turkish authorities have detained more than 150 people across at least 15 provinces in a coordinated wave of raids targeting LGBTQ+ networks, HIV support organizations, and journalists.
   • A court ordered access to the independent news portal T24 and its social media accounts blocked after authorities accused it of publishing 118 pieces of content deemed to constitute LGBT propaganda.
   • Turkish authorities ordered access blocked to the X account of EngelliWeb, a project run by the Freedom of Expression Association that tracks and documents online censorship.
   • The Human Rights Research Centre expressed concern over the safety of the LGBTQ+ community and condemned mass detentions, the blocking of human rights group accounts, and the use of tear gas against peaceful protesters.

   What to watch next

   • The outcome of T24's legal appeal against the website blocking order.
   • Further actions by Turkish authorities regarding frozen NGO bank accounts and pre-trial detentions.
   Sources used for this update (4)

   1. www.humanrightsresearch.org — Turkish Authorities Launch “My Family is Safe” Operation, Targeting LGBTQ+ Community
   2. www.internazionale.it — Journalists decry crackdown after Turkey blocks news site over ‘LGBT propaganda’ - Internazionale
   3. www.al-monitor.com — Journalists decry crackdown after Turkey blocks news site over 'LGBT propaganda' - AL-MONITOR: The Middle....
   4. stockholmcf.org — Turkey blocks EngelliWeb X account that documents internet censorship - Stockholm Center for Freedom
   confidence 100%
2. 34d ago

   Turkish Crackdown Targets LGBTQ+ Groups and Journalists

   Turkish authorities have detained more than 150 people across multiple provinces in a coordinated wave of raids targeting LGBTQ+ networks, HIV support organizations, and journalists. The state operation, termed "Ailem Güvende" or "My Family Is Safe," spans at least 15 provinces including Istanbul and Ankara. Officials describe the actions as an obscenity investigation, while human rights monitors report frozen NGO bank accounts, digital censorship, and pre-trial detentions. Freelance journalist Tuğba Tekerek is among those held in pre-trial detention since 15 September over a 2024 article.

   Why it matters

   This multi-province campaign marks a tactical shift from localized event bans to proactive criminalization of LGBTQ+ communities and independent media in Turkey. Human rights monitors warn that the crackdown severely threatens freedom of expression and independent journalism. Meanwhile, upcoming international events like COP31 face scrutiny over hosting agreement provisions that critics say could chill free expression.

   What is confirmed

   • Turkish authorities detained over 150 individuals across more than 15 provinces in an operation termed My Family Is Safe.
   • Freelance journalist Tuğba Tekerek was placed in pre-trial detention on 15 September and is investigated over a 2024 article published on Kaos GL.
   • Human rights activists countered the police raids with street protests in Istanbul and Izmir.

   Still unconfirmed

   • Amnesty International claims a provision in the COP31 hosting agreement could have a chilling effect on free expression in Antalya.

   What to watch next

   • Further developments regarding the detention status of journalist Tuğba Tekerek and detained protesters
   • Responses from international bodies and COP31 organizers regarding free expression provisions in hosting agreements
   • Additional provincial raids or actions against LGBTQ+ NGO bank accounts
   Sources used for this update (11)

   1. www.climatechangenews.com — COP31 attendees told not to interfere in Türkiye’s “internal affairs”
   2. www.gaytimes.com — Turkey’s LGBTQIA+ crackdown: Everything you need to know
   3. www.amnesty.org.au — Türkiye’s crackdown on LGBTI groups and activists is part of ...
   4. 76crimes.com — Turkey’s anti-LGBT crackdown expands; activists fight back
   5. rsf.org — Türkiye: Tuğba Tekerek detained as press freedom suffers in ...
   6. acleddata.com — Is Turkey expanding its crackdown on LGBTQ+ groups?
   7. enriqueanartelazo.substack.com — The silence around Turkey’s anti-LGBTQ+ crackdown
   8. www.tcnjsignalnews.com — Turkey’s LGBTQ+ community under fire as protestors face ...
   9. humedia.org — Turkey Raids Detain LGBTQI+ & HIV Advocates in 5 Provinces
   10. www.channeldraw.org — Tugba Tekerek: a journalist jailed as Turkey expands its ...
   11. hrf.org — HRF’s AI for Individual Rights Newsletter #19 - Human Rights Foundation
   confidence 90%
3. 45d ago

   Turkey detains activists and journalists in LGBTQ+ crackdown

   Turkish authorities have launched a broad crackdown on the LGBTQ+ community, detaining dozens of activists and journalists. Police conducted raids on gay bars and private residences to carry out the arrests. The state justifies these actions as a means of preserving family values. In response, protests have erupted, leading to at least 150 further detentions. The campaign has sparked international condemnation and widespread public demonstrations.

   Why it matters

   The crackdown targets a vulnerable minority under the administration of President Erdogan. This movement reflects a broader state effort to enforce traditional social norms through police action.

   What is confirmed

   • Turkish police detained dozens of people during raids on gay bars and the homes of LGBTQ+ activists.
   • Turkish authorities detained at least 150 people during protests against the arrests.
   • The Turkish government justifies the crackdown as a way to preserve family values.

   Still unconfirmed

   • The crackdown specifically targets journalists alongside LGBTQ+ activists.
   • The campaign has drawn international condemnation.

   What to watch next

   • Official statements from the Turkish Ministry of Justice regarding the charges against detainees
   • Reports on the legal status of the 150 protesters detained during demonstrations
   Sources used for this update (7)

   1. BBC — Turkish police detain dozens in raids on gay bars and homes of LGBTQ+ activists
   2. CNN — Turkish authorities detain at least 150 at protest over LGBTQ+ arrests
   3. The New York Times — Turkey Begins Broad Crackdown on L.G.B.T.Q. Community
   4. The Guardian — Turkey detains dozens in crackdown on LGBTQ+ activists and journalists
   5. dw.com — Why do authoritarian regimes target the LGBTQ+ community?
   6. Fox News — Erdogan's Turkey cracks down on LGBT community in name of preserving family values
   7. washingtonpost.com — Turkey’s LGBT crackdown draws international condemnation, protests
   confidence 90%