Story perspectives

Turkish police detain 26 in LGBTQ+ association raids

By Drooid · Sep 13, 2026, 4:15 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Turkish police detained 26 people and raided six LGBTQ+ association offices in the ‘My Family is Safe’ operation.
The raids covered 12 provinces, searching 54 locations including homes and ten businesses.
Authorities seized drugs, digital equipment, a handgun, syringes and 2,000 bottles of illicit alcohol.
Justice Minister Akin Gürlek said investigations target 162 suspects, nine associations and 13 businesses across 15 provinces.

History

Historical Context

In 2013, Russia enacted the “gay propaganda” law, criminalizing public discussion of non-heterosexual relationships and sparking nationwide police crackdowns on LGBT groups. The Russian Ministry of Justice recorded 1,200 prosecutions in 2014, while NGO Gayrussia.ru logged 45 raids on community centers and clubs. Similarly, Turkish police in 2024 launched the ‘My Family is Safe’ operation, detaining 26 activists, seizing weapons and raiding six LGBTQ+ offices across twelve provinces. These parallel suppressions have drawn EU human-rights monitors, including the European Court of Human Rights, to consider sanctions and legal actions against Ankara and Moscow.

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Story summary

Turkish police detained 26 people and raided six LGBTQ+ association offices in the ‘My Family is Safe’ operation.
The raids covered 12 provinces, searching 54 locations including homes and ten businesses.
Authorities seized drugs, digital equipment, a handgun, syringes and 2,000 bottles of illicit alcohol.
Justice Minister Akin Gürlek said investigations target 162 suspects, nine associations and 13 businesses across 15 provinces.

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