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Turkish Police Arrest 31 LGBTQ+ People, Detain Protesters

By Drooid · Sep 18, 2026, 12:07 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Turkish police arrested at least 31 LGBTQ+ individuals and detained 126 protesters in Ankara and Istanbul on September 15, 2026.
The operation called “My Family is Safe” targets 162 suspects across 15 provinces.
Council of Europe Commissioner Michael O'Flaherty said “family values” cannot justify human-rights restrictions and urged detainee release.
European Commission voiced concern over the arrests and the blocking of LGBTQ+ organisations’ online accounts.

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Story summary

Turkish police arrested at least 31 LGBTQ+ individuals and detained 126 protesters in Ankara and Istanbul on September 15, 2026.
The operation called “My Family is Safe” targets 162 suspects across 15 provinces.
Council of Europe Commissioner Michael O'Flaherty said “family values” cannot justify human-rights restrictions and urged detainee release.
European Commission voiced concern over the arrests and the blocking of LGBTQ+ organisations’ online accounts.