Turkish authorities launched a crackdown on LGBTQ+ groups and individuals early Sunday, detaining dozens and raiding association offices and popular gathering places across major cities including Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Aydin, and Mersin. The operation, described by Justice Minister Akin Gurlek as an effort to "protect children, the institution of the family, and public order," aligns with an executive order from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Gurlek announced on social media that the investigation involved 162 suspects, nine associations, and 13 businesses. He stated that associations found to be receiving significant funding from international sources and agencies would be investigated. The charges mentioned by the minister included "forming a criminal organization," "drugs," "prostitution," and "obscenity."
The Human Rights Association condemned the actions, characterizing them as a "political operation" aimed at enforcing a monolithic family model and purging LGBTQ+ and independent civil society. The group argued that the unrelated charges were intended to incriminate the community rather than reveal truth.
The ruling Justice and Development Party has intensified its public stance against LGBTQ+ groups, particularly in the lead-up to elections, to appeal to its conservative base. Istanbul Pride, which previously drew tens of thousands of attendees, was banned in 2015, and authorities have since dispersed subsequent Pride gatherings. This summer, an LGBTQ+ cruise ship was denied permission to dock in Turkey.
While homosexuality was decriminalized in 1858 during the Ottoman Empire, significant social discrimination persists in modern Turkey.