Turkish authorities launch nationwide crackdown on LGBTQ+ activists

Turkish police and gendarmerie conducted nationwide raids across 15 provinces on September 12 and 13, 2026, targeting LGBTQ+ activists and organizations. Justice Minister Akin Gurlek announced that legal proceedings have been initiated against 162 suspects, nine associations, and 13 companies under the government-led “My Family is Safe” operation. The campaign, which authorities claim is designed to protect family values and children, has resulted in multiple arrests, including at least 26 individuals in Istanbul, 21 in Ankara, and 18 in Izmir.

In the province of Izmir, a court has ordered the detention of 16 suspects pending trial, while two others were placed under judicial supervision. During the operations, police raided private homes, offices of LGBTQ+ rights groups, bars, a nightclub, and a men’s hammam. The organization Kaos GL reported that at least ten of its members were taken into custody following searches of their residences and offices. The operation is part of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s “Decade of the Family” policy.

Human rights advocates and the Turkish Human Rights Association have condemned the actions, characterizing them as state-led discrimination intended to dismantle civil society and foster a politics of fear. The government maintains that the measures are necessary to safeguard social order.