Twelve trans women detained after home raids in İzmir, Turkey

Police detained 12 trans women following raids on their homes in İzmir, western Turkey, on the morning of 3 November 2026. Bianet reports, citing the We Want Freedom Campaign (Özgürlük İstiyoruz).

According to a prosecutor’s statement published by local outlet Gerçek İzmir, the investigation concerns Articles 227 and 220 of Turkey’s Criminal Code, covering encouraging, facilitating or coercing prostitution and establishing a criminal organisation.

Prosecutors said they had received numerous complaints over the past year through the 112 emergency service and the government’s CİMER portal. Investigators reported identifying 23 incidents linked to prostitution and taking statements from a further 22 people believed to have information about the events.

The We Want Freedom Campaign called for the detained women’s release. Its participants said access to the investigation file had been restricted.

The campaign’s statement described the raids as pressure on trans people and their right to work. Its participants stressed that sex work in itself is not a crime in Turkey and accused the authorities of interfering in trans women’s lives under the pretext of protecting public morality.

LGBT outlet Kaos GL reported that 15 LGBT associations opposed the detentions and called for the operations to end. The We Want Freedom Campaign links the latest raids to the “My Family Is Safe” operations (Ailem Güvende), which began on 12 September, and points to the Ankara-coordinated operation against trans women on 23 October.

Uránia previously reported on the launch of the We Want Freedom Campaign following September’s raids on LGBT organisations.