Turkey Raids LGBTQ Groups

Turkish authorities cracked down on multiple LGBTQ+ groups and individuals early Sunday, detaining dozens of members, breaking into association offices and raiding popular hangouts. In an escalation of its decadelong hostility toward LGBTQ+ groups, particularly in the lead-up to elections, simultaneous police raids beginning at 1am took place in the major cities of Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Aydin, and Mersin, the AP reports. Justice Minister Akin Gurlek announced on social media that the investigation into 162 suspects, nine associations, and 13 businesses was to "protect children, the institution of the family, and public order" in line with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's 10-year executive order relating to families and children.

"As per the duty to protect families and children given to the state by the constitution, no criminal organization, abuse network or illegal activity which targets children, youths or families will be tolerated!" Gurlek said. The raids targeted current and former members of multiple prominent LGBTQ+ rights and HIV awareness groups. The organizations' websites were also blocked. Gurlek said the associations receive significant funding from international sources and agencies. The Human Rights Association condemned the raids. "This is not a judicial investigation; it is a political operation aimed at forcing society into a monolithic family model and purging LGBTI+ and independent civil society under the guise of protecting the family and children," it said. The Ottoman Empire, predecessor to the modern republic of Turkey, decriminalized homosexuality in 1858, but there is still significant social discrimination.