Full Breakdown
Turkey’s “My Family Is Safe” Crackdown Targets LGBTQ+ Community
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
In early September 2026 Turkish authorities launched a coordinated operation, dubbed “My Family Is Safe,” against venues and organizations linked to the LGBTQ+ community. Justice Minister Akin Gurlek announced that judicial proceedings had been opened against 162 suspects, nine associations, and 13 businesses across 15 provinces. Police raids hit gay bars, a men’s hammam, and the offices of groups such as Kaos GL, SPoD, Lambda Istanbul, Pembe Hayat, Muamma, and 7 Renk. Seizures included drugs, digital equipment, smuggled alcohol and a firearm.
Background & Context
The operation is part of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s “Decade of Family and Population” initiative, aimed at reversing Turkey’s declining birth rate. Erdogan has repeatedly blamed LGBTQ+ “perverts” for the demographic drop, linking the crackdown to a broader moral agenda that frames LGBTQ+ visibility as a threat to “family values.” Since 2015, Pride marches have been banned and earlier court orders have dissolved several queer associations.
Data & Statistics
- Arrests/detentions: Reuters reported at least 47 people detained on September 13; the Istanbul prosecutor’s office noted 38 suspects with 26 detained; Ankara prosecutors added 21 detained; Kaos GL claimed around 50 activists detained, including more than 10 taken from homes. Other outlets cited figures of 60, 63, and 43 detainees.
- Organizations targeted: nine NGOs, including Kaos GL, 17 May, ÜniKuir, Pink Life, SPoD, Genç LGBTI+, Lambda Istanbul, and Muamma.
- Digital censorship: An Istanbul court order on September 12 blocked the websites and social-media accounts of the above groups and individual activists.
- Seized items: narcotics, digital devices, approximately 2,000 bottles of illegal alcohol, and an unlicensed pistol.
Official Statements & Responses
He linked the operation to a 2026 presidential circular supporting the Decade of Family and Population.
Criticism & Opposition
They urged the European Union, Council of Europe, United Nations, and diplomatic missions to intervene and secure the release of detainees.
Analysts note that the crackdown coincides with broader demographic policies that attribute Turkey’s falling fertility—recorded by TurkStat as a decline from 2.11 (2013) to 1.51 (2023)—to cultural factors rather than structural economic challenges.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the exact number of people detained: Reuters, Istanbul prosecutor, Ankara prosecutor, Kaos GL (?50), and other media (60, 63, 43). The total of 162 suspects is consistently reported by the Justice Ministry, but the proportion actually placed in custody remains unclear. Details on the outcomes of the seized evidence and the status of the 13 businesses under investigation have not been disclosed.
Verbatim Quotes
- “As per the duty to protect families and children given to the state by the constitution, no criminal organization, abuse network or illegal activity which targets children, youths or families will be tolerated!” — Akin Gurlek, turkish justice minister
- “This imposition of a moral agenda is a blatant violation of fundamental rights & Turkey’s international commitments taking the country down a dark path,” — Nacho Sanchez Amor
- “This imposition of a moral agenda is a blatant violation of fundamental rights and Turkey's international commitments taking the country down a dark path,” — Turkey Nacho Sanchez Amor
These statements capture the government’s justification and international condemnation of the operation.