Story perspectives

Justice Minister Orders 162 LGBTQ+ Activist Arrests

By Drooid · Sep 16, 2026, 6:06 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Justice Minister Akin Gurlek ordered arrests of at least 162 LGBTQ+ activists, nine associations and 13 businesses.
Police detained dozens of demonstrators outside Istanbul’s Caglayan courthouse during a protest.
Raids targeted suspects, associations and businesses in 15 provinces, including Istanbul and Ankara.
Authorities blocked dozens of LGBTQ+ websites and social-media accounts such as Kaos GL’s site.
Council of Europe Commissioner Michael O’Flaherty said family-values claims do not justify the arrests.

History

Historical Context

The 1922 partial repeal of the Acts of Union ended British rule over most of Ireland, showing how repeals can overturn restrictive statutes as defined in legal theory. Turkey’s latest detention of LGBTQ activists, occurring amid EU-linked reform debates, reflects a similar pendulum where legal reversals alternately expand and contract civil liberties.

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Story summary

Justice Minister Akin Gurlek ordered arrests of at least 162 LGBTQ+ activists, nine associations and 13 businesses.
Police detained dozens of demonstrators outside Istanbul’s Caglayan courthouse during a protest.
Raids targeted suspects, associations and businesses in 15 provinces, including Istanbul and Ankara.
Authorities blocked dozens of LGBTQ+ websites and social-media accounts such as Kaos GL’s site.
Council of Europe Commissioner Michael O’Flaherty said family-values claims do not justify the arrests.

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