Turkish Authorities Detain 150 at Protest Over LGBTQ+ Arrests
On Tuesday, September 15, 2026, police in Istanbul, Turkey, detained at least 150 people outside the Çağlayan courthouse, where activists had planned to hold a protest. Participants intended to speak out against recent raids on LGBTQ+ organization offices and mass detentions, but police prevented the press statement from taking place.
The protest was sparked by a large-scale law enforcement operation dubbed “My Family Is Safe.” According to the country’s Justice Minister Akın Gürlek, the raids, conducted across 15 provinces, led to judicial proceedings against 162 suspects, 9 associations, and 13 businesses.
The government claims the campaign is aimed at “protecting children and family values.” Authorities accuse those detained of facilitating prostitution, producing obscene content, and exposing minors to illegal activities. Over the past weekend alone, police detained at least 26 people in Istanbul and 21 in Ankara. It has been reported that the homes of board members from the human rights association Kaos GL were searched, and dozens of LGBTQ+ activists are among those detained. Furthermore, the country has restricted access to a number of related websites and social media accounts, including the X (formerly Twitter) account of Amnesty International’s Turkey branch.
The authorities’ actions have drawn international criticism. According to a statement published by the European independent news network Bianet , Helen Belcher, Congress Rapporteur on LGBTI Rights of the Council of Europe, expressed deep concern over the events. She emphasized that protecting public security cannot serve as a justification for restricting fundamental rights and freedoms. “These measures must not be used to target individuals and organizations because of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or legitimate human rights activities. Simply being an LGBTI person or organization should not automatically mean being under suspicion,” Belcher stated. She also pointed out that the argument defending “family values” ignores the fact that LGBTQ+ people are themselves part of families.
