Full Breakdown
Turkey’s “My Family Is Safe” Operation Targets LGBTQ+ Community
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
In the early hours of September 13, police in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Aydin and Mersin raided LGBTQ+ rights organisations, HIV-advocacy groups, gay bars and a men’s hammam. Prosecutors seized digital equipment, drugs, alcohol and a firearm, detaining activists, journalists and venue staff. The operation, dubbed “My Family Is Safe,” was presented as a campaign to protect children and family values. Within days, protests erupted outside courthouses in Istanbul and Izmir; police used tear-gas and pepper-spray, detaining hundreds of demonstrators.
Background & Context
The raids are linked to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s “Decade of Family and Population,” a ten-year executive order launched on May 17 to address Turkey’s declining fertility rate. Although same-sex relations have been legal since the Ottoman era, the government has repeatedly portrayed LGBTQ+ people as a threat to the traditional family. Prior bans on Istanbul Pride (since June 30 2024) and restrictions on gender-affirming care set a precedent for the current crackdown.
Data & Statistics
- Justice Minister Akin Gürlek announced investigations involving 162 suspects, nine associations and 13 businesses across 15 provinces.
- Rights groups reported 62 people held on remand; police statements mention over 150 arrests and more than 200 protesters detained.
- Courts in Izmir ordered 16 of 18 suspects jailed pending trial, and a later ruling jailed 21 individuals.
- Online censorship affected over 100 social-media accounts and several websites, including Kaos GL, SPoD, Lambda Istanbul and Amnesty International Turkey.
Official Statements & Responses
Justice Minister Gürlek said the operation targets “obscenity,” prostitution and material that “exposes children to harmful material,” tying it to the Decade of Family initiative. Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O’Flaherty warned that references to “family values” cannot justify restrictions on fundamental rights and called for the release of all detainees. The European Commission urged Ankara to respect human-rights standards for all individuals regardless of gender identity.
Criticism & Opposition
Amnesty International’s Esther Major called the sweep a “full-scale assault on LGBTI rights.” Analysts Gonul Tol and Yildiz Taghizade noted the community is being used as a convenient target to reinforce conservative narratives. Opposition spokesperson Zeynel Emre condemned the use of the judicial system to punish people based on sexual orientation, while European Parliament rapporteur Nacho Sánchez Amor described the arrests as a “shocking escalation” that violates Turkey’s international commitments.
On-the-Ground Reports
In Istanbul, demonstrators outside the Caglayan Courthouse were prevented from issuing a press statement and were subsequently detained. Witnesses reported police seizing rainbow flags, handcuffing individuals and using tear-gas to disperse crowds. Journalist Tugba Tekerek was arrested after publishing a piece on LGBTQ+ issues in neighboring Georgia.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Numbers of detained individuals vary: rights groups cite 62 on remand, while police and media mention over 150 arrests and more than 200 protesters detained. No official source has confirmed a single nationwide total, leaving the exact scale of the crackdown uncertain.
What’s Next
Amnesty International plans coordinated protests on September 18 in capitals worldwide, including Brussels and Washington DC, to highlight the Turkish crackdown. The Justice Ministry’s circular instructs prosecutors in all 81 provinces to review complaints about “obscene” or “genderless” content, suggesting further investigations and possible access-blocking orders may follow. International bodies continue to monitor the situation, urging Turkey to release detainees and halt the suppression of LGBTQ+ civil society.