Key facts
- A Turkish court ordered 16 people detained pending trial in Izmir as part of a government campaign targeting LGBTQ+ associations.
- The operation, dubbed "My Family is Safe," involves 162 suspects, nine associations, and 13 businesses across 15 provinces.
- Prosecutors allege offenses including prostitution and obscenity, stating children and minors were inappropriately influenced.
- Authorities seized drugs, digital equipment, smuggled alcohol, and a firearm during raids.
- Human rights groups accuse the government of targeting the LGBTQ+ community through rhetoric, restrictions, and legal measures.
A Turkish court ordered 16 people detained pending trial in the western province of Izmir as part of a government campaign that has included sweeping raids on LGBTQ+ associations. The Izmir chief prosecutor's office stated that 18 suspects were detained under the "My Family is Safe" operation, with 16 ordered to be remanded in jail and two placed under judicial supervision.
Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said on Sunday that investigations coordinated by prosecutors in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Aydin and Mersin involve 162 suspects, nine associations and 13 businesses across 15 provinces. The government states the operation is aimed at protecting children and family values. Authorities previously detained 26 people in Istanbul and 21 in Ankara over the weekend, raiding offices of several LGBTQ+ associations. The Turkish Human Rights Association described the operation as "state-led discrimination, politics of fear and the dismantling of civil society." Nacho Sanchez Amor, the European Parliament's Turkey rapporteur, called the arrests "a shocking escalation" of repression.
Prosecutors allege the investigations cover offenses including prostitution and obscenity, and that children and minors were being inappropriately influenced on issues relating to sexual orientation and gender identity. The operation coincides with President Tayyip Erdogan's promotion of a "Decade of Family and Population" initiative aimed at addressing falling birth rates and an aging demographic.