An international human rights group has said Turkish authorities are using broadly defined “obscenity” and “indecency” laws — and proposing new restrictions — to limit LGBTQ+ expression and activism, targeting both organizations and activists.
The Human Rights Research Center said in a recent report that provisions in the Turkish Penal Code, particularly Article 226 on “obscenity” and Article 225 on “indecent acts,” allow wide discretion due to their vague wording and lack of clear definitions.
Article 226 criminalizes the distribution, display or publication of material considered “obscene,” with penalties ranging from fines to prison sentences. The report said the law, originally intended to protect children from exposure to pornography, has been applied in cases involving LGBTQ+ individuals and organizations.
It said the provision is often used along with references to “public morals” and constitutional protections of the family, concepts that are not precisely defined in Turkish law and can be interpreted broadly by authorities.
This legal ambiguity enables selective enforcement and increases the risk of prosecution for LGBTQ+ expression, advocacy and online activity. The organization cited cases including the closure of LGBTQ+ associations, criminal charges against activists and restrictions on social media content.
The group said proposed legal changes could further expand the scope of such measures. A draft amendment involving Article 225, which governs “indecent acts” in public, would criminalize the promotion of behavior considered contrary to “biological sex” or “general morality,” potentially exposing activists, organizations and public expressions of LGBTQ+ identity to prosecution.
LGBTQ+ organizations have operated in Turkey since the 1990s, and the country was once seen as relatively open compared to others in the region. Istanbul hosted large Pride marches for years, drawing thousands of participants, before authorities began banning them in the mid-2010s.
Rights groups say restrictions have intensified in recent years, affecting both public events and civil society organizations. The report said administrative measures, including the closure of associations and blocking of online platforms, have accompanied legal action.
The research center linked these developments to broader political messaging emphasizing the protection of family structures. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and senior officials from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) have in recent years framed LGBTQ+ identities as a threat to family values while promoting policies aimed at increasing birth rates and encouraging traditional family structures.
The report also noted that Turkey’s standing in Europe on LGBTQ+ rights has declined over the past decade. According to ILGA-Europe’s Rainbow Map, which evaluates legal and policy frameworks affecting LGBTQ+ people, Turkey ranks near the bottom among countries assessed.
