Turkish authorities this week launched one of the largest operations against the LGBTQI+ community in recent years, carrying out simultaneous raids on organizations, venues and activists’ homes in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Aydın and Mersin. The operation, called “My Family Is Safe,” has also extended to journalists covering LGBTQI+ rights.
According to the Guardian, more than 100 people were arrested or detained in the initial raids, with 62 placed in temporary detention. Prosecutors also reported the seizure of digital equipment, drugs and a weapon. The protests that followed prompted another wave of arrests, with at least 150 demonstrators detained in Istanbul and dozens more in Ankara. The figures continue to change as investigations and legal proceedings continue.
Those targeted included members of Kaos GL, one of the country’s oldest LGBTQI+ rights organizations, as well as journalist Tuğba Tekerek, who covers LGBTQI+ issues. Websites and accounts belonging to organizations and activists have also been restricted or blocked.
Human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, as well as the EU, have condemned the crackdown.
Homosexuality is not illegal in Turkey, having been decriminalized in 1858 under the Ottoman Empire. However, prosecutors have cited provisions on “public indecency,” violations of laws governing NGOs, prostitution and drugs.
Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International accuse the authorities of using vague notions of “public morality” and “family values” to criminalize LGBTQI+ activism. The European Commission has also expressed concern over the arrests, legal action against rights organizations and restrictions on the media.
Sources: The Guardian, Amnesty International, Le Monde
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