Turkish police detain dozens in raids on gay bars and homes of LGBTQ+ activists

What the report says

Police in Turkey have detained dozens of people in raids on gay bars and the homes of LGBTQ+ activists, according to the BBC. Officials said the weekend operation covered 12 provinces and was carried out under a campaign called "My Family is Safe," which the government says is intended to protect family values. The BBC reported that one focus of the raids was Kaos GL, an LGBTQ+ rights organization.

The Istanbul chief prosecutor’s office said 26 people were detained and that officers seized drugs, digital equipment, smuggled alcohol and a firearm. A separate statement from the Ankara chief prosecutor’s office said 21 more people were detained in connection with an investigation into Kaos GL. The group said more people had been detained, including some taken from home, and said authorities had also blocked websites and social media accounts linked to LGBTQ+ organizations.

Human rights groups in Turkey have accused the government of using the family-values campaign to target the LGBTQ+ community. The BBC noted that same-sex relations are legal in Turkey, but same-sex marriage is not recognized and public hostility remains common. The report also said Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said legal proceedings had begun against more than 160 people and organizations nationwide, though he did not give a custody total.

The detentions matter because they add to concerns about pressure on LGBTQ+ civil society in Turkey, where pride events have faced repeated police crackdowns in recent years.