Key facts
- Eight members of LGBTQ+ group Kaos GL were jailed pending trial in Turkey.
- Prosecutors accused suspects of facilitating the publication of obscene material accessible to children.
- Kaos GL called the detentions a political operation targeting fundamental rights.
- At least 54 people were jailed in other provinces in raids targeting LGBTQ+ associations.
- 126 people were detained during protests against the raids and arrests.
- The European Commission expressed concern over the arrests and legal proceedings.
Turkish authorities have jailed eight members of the LGBTQ+ rights group Kaos GL pending trial as part of a nationwide operation that rights groups say targets fundamental freedoms. The government, which has increasingly clamped down on the LGBTQ+ community in recent years, stated the operation, dubbed 'My Family is Safe,' is aimed at protecting family values and children.
Prosecutors accused the jailed suspects of facilitating the publication of obscene material, including content accessible to children. Kaos GL described the detentions and imprisonments as an "overt political operation targeting fundamental rights and freedoms." In addition to the eight jailed members, seven others from the group, including a journalist, were released under judicial supervision. At least 54 other individuals were jailed in separate raids targeting LGBTQ+ associations across 15 provinces.
During protests against the raids and arrests, authorities detained at least 126 people in Ankara and Istanbul. The European Commission stated it was concerned by the arrests of activists and legal proceedings against rights groups and businesses, and was following developments closely. President Tayyip Erdogan has previously accused the LGBTQ+ community of posing a threat to Turkey's family structure and values.