Turkey Detains 162 People in LGBTQ+ Crackdown

Turkish authorities launched a sweeping nationwide crackdown on the LGBTQ+ community starting September 13, 2026, under an operation titled "My Family Is Safe." Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his government framed the raids as a measure to protect children and the institution of the family, aligning with the president's "2026–2035 Decade of Family and Population" vision to combat falling birth rates.

Justice Minister Akin Gurlek announced that the operation targeted 162 suspects, nine associations, and 13 businesses across 15 provinces, including Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir. Police raided gay bars, nightclubs, and the offices of rights groups such as the Kaos GL Association on allegations of prostitution, narcotics, and the dissemination of "obscene content." Simultaneously, the government blocked over 100 social media accounts and websites belonging to activists and organizations, including Amnesty Türkiye.

The crackdown sparked protests in Izmir and Istanbul. In Istanbul, police detained at least 150 people on September 16 outside the Caglayan courthouse while they demanded the release of activists. In Izmir, authorities jailed 16 to 18 people pending trial.

International bodies and human rights organizations condemned the operation as a political purge. The European Commission and the Council of Europe described the arrests as a "shocking escalation in the repression," while the Turkish Human Rights Association argued the state is weaponizing family values to force a monolithic social model and liquidate independent civil society.