Story perspectives

Turkey Jails 82 LGBTQ+ Protesters After Courthouse Raid

By Drooid · Sep 19, 2026, 2:04 AM UTC · How we work

Center

EU Condemns Crackdown

Turkish police detained dozens of LGBTQ+ demonstrators outside Istanbul’s Caglayan courthouse on Tuesday, September 16, 2026.
Officials called the raid “My Family is Safe,” saying it protects children, targeting 162 suspects, nine groups and 13 businesses.
By Thursday, courts in several provinces jailed at least 82 arrested demonstrators.
Authorities blocked 100 LGBTQ+ websites and accounts, including Amnesty International Turkey and Kaos GL.
EU and Council of Europe commissioner condemned crackdown as rights violation.

Right

Erdogan Family Values

Turkish police detained dozens of LGBTQ+ demonstrators outside Istanbul’s Caglayan courthouse on Tuesday, September 16, 2026.
The detentions were presented as part of President Erdogan’s “family values” campaign targeting LGBT groups as political opponents.
Police used pepper spray on Izmir protesters and detained over 95 people at Istanbul’s courthouse.
Justice Minister Akin Gürlek ordered 175 prosecutors to target content harmful to children and families.

1 of 2

EU Condemns Crackdown

Turkish police detained dozens of LGBTQ+ demonstrators outside Istanbul’s Caglayan courthouse on Tuesday, September 16, 2026.
Officials called the raid “My Family is Safe,” saying it protects children, targeting 162 suspects, nine groups and 13 businesses.
By Thursday, courts in several provinces jailed at least 82 arrested demonstrators.
Authorities blocked 100 LGBTQ+ websites and accounts, including Amnesty International Turkey and Kaos GL.
EU and Council of Europe commissioner condemned crackdown as rights violation.

1 / 2