In Istanbul and across fifteen Turkish provinces, a government campaign called 'My Family is Safe' has moved against LGBTQ+ activists, venues, and civil society organizations — arresting dozens, blocking digital spaces, and raiding homes and offices. Though same-sex relations remain legal in Turkey, the state has found other instruments to suppress identity and advocacy alike. When protesters gathered outside Istanbul's courthouse to call for the release of those detained in weekend raids, police arrested them too — transforming an act of witness into further evidence of what rights organizati
Turkey escalates crackdown on LGBTQ+ activists with mass arrests
Dozens of LGBTQ+ activists and protesters detained in raids and arrests across Turkey as part of government crackdown campaign.