Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney Says His Team Raised LGBT Rights with Turkey
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters in Istanbul on October 23, 2026, that his team had raised LGBT rights during talks with Turkish authorities the previous day, according to Reuters, published on Investing.com.
As ÜniKuir reports, Carney stressed that international partnerships do not mean approval of another government’s policies. He said engagement enables Canada to discuss its positions and expectations directly with other countries’ leaders. According to Reuters, he did not meet leaders of LGBT or human rights organisations during the visit.
On October 22 in Ankara, Carney met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. In a joint statement, the two sides announced a strategic partnership and a three-year action plan. It covers trade and investment, energy, defence and security, and ties between the two countries’ governments and people.
Ahead of the talks, on October 21, leaders of Amnesty International’s sections urged Carney to put human rights at the centre of relations with Turkey. They asked him to seek an end to the repression of LGBT organisations, the release of people detained for exercising their rights, and the removal of restrictions on independent media and peaceful assembly that the organisation considers unlawful.
Turkish authorities say measures against LGBT groups aim to protect children and family values. Reuters notes that Ankara says the judiciary is independent and denies that investigations and court cases are politically motivated.
Uránia previously reported the statement by lawyers for Turkish LGBT association Kaos GL that no indictment had been prepared. On October 22, the defence demanded the release of detained association representatives, human rights defenders and journalist Tuğba Tekerek.
Cover: Daina Le Lardic / European Parliament / Wikimedia Commons, European Parliament reuse terms. Archive photograph taken in Strasbourg on September 17, 2026; resized and converted to WebP without cropping.
