Turkish authorities have detained at least 116 people across 15 provinces in a sweeping nationwide crackdown targeting LGBTI organizations and human rights defenders, according to Amnesty International. Launched under the operation title “Ailem Güvende” (“Family is Safe”), the raids have resulted in at least 83 individuals being placed in pre-trial detention, while criminal investigations have been opened against more than 160 people.
Nationwide Raids and Legal Crackdown
The security operations began on September 13, targeting homes, venues, and offices associated with LGBTI rights advocates. According to reports gathered by Amnesty International, detained human rights defenders have faced intrusive strip searches, insults, humiliation, and unlawful solitary confinement. Simultaneously, authorities have blocked or restricted over 180 social media accounts belonging to LGBTI activists, organizations, journalists, and independent media outlets, including the official X (formerly Twitter) account of Amnesty International Turkey.
The Turkish Ministry of Justice dispatched a formal circular to 175 chief public prosecutors across all 81 provinces. The document instructs prosecutors to immediately investigate activities and content deemed contrary to “public morality” and harmful to families, children, and youth, utilizing vague obscenity laws to demand the removal or blocking of online content.
The ‘Family is Safe’ Operation Context
Government officials have defended the crackdown under the stated objective of protecting families. However, human rights monitors and local activists reject this justification, arguing that the operation serves to further stigmatize a community that has spent decades confronting systemic discrimination. Esther Major, Amnesty International’s regional director for Europe, stated that the widespread crackdown has “nothing to do with protecting families, and sí much to do with dañar y estigmatizar aún más a una comunidad que lleva décadas luchando contra la discriminación.”
https://x.com/amnestypress/status/2101249542754636116
The current wave of arrests follows a decade of tightening civil liberties in Turkey following the failed coup attempt in July 2015. Over the last several years, authorities have routinely banned Pride parades in Istanbul and other major cities, while repeatedly floating legislative proposals to criminalize the public expression of LGBTI identities or consensual same-sex relations.
Street Protests and International Condemnation
Civil resistance has met the state’s actions with demonstrations both inside Turkey and abroad. Police deployed pepper spray against peaceful demonstrators in İzmir, and approximately 95 people were reportedly detained outside the Çağlayan courthouse in Istanbul as they gathered to issue a press statement. On Friday, solidarity protests took place in more than 50 cities worldwide, with international human rights organizations calling on global leaders to publicly condemn the crackdown and demand the immediate release of all detained activists.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people have been detained in Turkey’s recent LGBTI crackdown?
According to Amnesty International, police have arrested at least 116 individuals across 15 provinces, with at least 83 held in pre-trial detention.
What is the official justification given by Turkish authorities?
Authorities named the operation “Ailem Güvende” (“Family is Safe”), claiming the actions are necessary to protect families and public morality, a framing rejected by human rights advocates as a pretext for persecution.
Which digital platforms and accounts have been targeted?
More than 180 social media accounts belonging to activists, journalists, and organizations—including the official X account of Amnesty International Turkey—have been blocked or restricted.
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