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Turkey conducts nationwide crackdown on LGBTQ+ community and organizations
Turkish authorities have launched a widespread crackdown on the LGBTQ+ community, conducting coordinated raids on homes, bars, and organizations across 15 provinces, including Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir. The operations, which the government describes as part of the ‘Family Decade’ initiative to protect traditional family values, have resulted in the detention of over 100 people and the initiation of legal proceedings against 162 individuals, nine organizations, and 13 companies.
Prosecutors have accused those targeted of offenses including the dissemination of obscene content and facilitating prostitution. In addition to physical raids, authorities have blocked numerous social media accounts and websites belonging to LGBTQ+ activists, journalists, and human rights organizations, such as Amnesty International Turkey.
Following the raids, protests erupted in Istanbul and Ankara, leading to further detentions of demonstrators and journalists. While 106 protesters were recently released, many activists and members of prominent organizations like Kaos GL remain in pre-trial detention. The United Nations and the European Union have expressed deep concern regarding the mass arrests and the potential impact on civil liberties and human rights in Turkey.
Entities
Akin Gurlek · Amnesty International · Association of Progressive Lawyers · European Union · Istanbul · Kaos GL · Recep Tayyip Erdoğan · Turkey · United Nations
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 9 SOURCES] accused targets of offenses including obscenity and promoting or facilitating prostitution. gayexpress.co.nz · www.utusan.com.my · dokuz8haber.net · www.zeit.de · www.excelsior.com.mx · +3 more
- [● 6 SOURCES] reported that authorities blocked access to LGBTQ+ websites and social media accounts. hnonline.sk · dokuz8haber.net · www.excelsior.com.mx · news.refresher.cz · turkishminute.com
- [● 9 SOURCES] initiated legal proceedings against 162 individuals, nine organizations, and 13 companies. gayexpress.co.nz · www.zeit.de · hnonline.sk · www.utusan.com.my · www.excelsior.com.mx · +3 more
- [● 4 SOURCES] reported that 20 members were sent to pre-trial detention following a court appearance in Istanbul. hnonline.sk · gayexpress.co.nz · www.excelsior.com.mx · turkishminute.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] described the police raids as part of the ‘Family Decade’ initiative. hnonline.sk · www.excelsior.com.mx · turkishminute.com
- [● 6 SOURCES] conducted raids on LGBTQ+ organizations, homes, and venues across 15 provinces. gayexpress.co.nz · hnonline.sk · www.utusan.com.my · www.excelsior.com.mx · news.refresher.cz · +1 more
- [● 5 SOURCES] confirmed the release of 106 protesters detained during demonstrations in Istanbul. www.zeit.de · hnonline.sk · www.excelsior.com.mx · turkishminute.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The raids were conducted under the government motto ‘My family is safe’.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Legal proceedings are underway against 162 suspects.
- [● 6 SOURCES] Websites and social media accounts of queer organizations and Amnesty International Turkey were blocked. dokuz8haber.net · news.refresher.cz · www.foxnews.com
- [● 7 SOURCES] Police conducted coordinated raids in at least 15 Turkish provinces, including Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Aydin, and Mersin. www.excelsior.com.mx · hnonline.sk · turkishminute.com · news.refresher.cz
- [● 5 SOURCES] President Erdogan has declared the years leading up to 2035 as the ‘Decade of Family and Population’ to boost birth rates. www.excelsior.com.mx · hnonline.sk