In Turkey, there is an ongoing crackdown on everything LGBTQIA+-related. Started in September 12 – carried out under the name Ailem Güvende (“My Family Is Safe”) and coordinated by the chief public prosecutor’s offices of Ankara, İstanbul, İzmir, Aydın and Mersin – this is backed by a circular issued by the Ministry of Justice to 175 chief public prosecutors in all of Turkey’s 81 provinces, which marked everything LGBTQIA+-related as contrary to “public morality” and harmful to families, children and young people.
Police initially arrested over 60 people across 15 provinces following raids on LGBTQIA+ organizations. At least 23 people were placed in pre-trial detention, with criminal investigations launched against more than 160 people.
Also, over 180 social media accounts and websites belonging to LGBTQIA+ organizations and activists, journalists, media outlets and others have been blocked or restricted.
The police also arrested people who gathered to protest the LGBTQIA+ crackdown.
According to Amnesty International: “Turkish authorities must end the escalating crackdown on LGBTI rights groups, immediately release detained activists, and stop the targeting and stigmatisation of LGBTI people and their advocates.”
