The Council of Europe’s (CoE) human rights commissioner on Tuesday called on Turkey to release anyone detained for LGBT rights or other civil society work, following nationwide raids targeting LGBT organizations and activists that have left dozens of people in custody.
Michael O’Flaherty, the CoE commissioner for human rights, said he was concerned about arrests, police raids and the blocking of websites and social media accounts targeting LGBT civil society groups and human rights defenders across Turkey.
The statement follows a nationwide operation authorities have called “My Family Is Safe,” targeting 162 people, nine associations and 13 businesses across 15 provinces. The figure of 162 refers to people subject to legal proceedings and not the number detained. The investigations are being coordinated by prosecutors in İstanbul, Ankara, İzmir, Aydın and Mersin.
A consistent nationwide detention figure has not been announced. LGBT rights organization Kaos GL said nearly 50 LGBT rights defenders had been detained or subjected to legal proceedings involving questioning or detention across the country.
In İzmir police detained 18 people, 16 of whom were jailed pending trial on Monday. Two others were released under judicial supervision, while six additional suspects were still being sought.
The operation has targeted LGBT rights organizations as well as businesses associated with the LGBT community. In İstanbul police raided several gay bars, a nightclub and a men’s public bath. The raids came a day after the accounts of more than a dozen Turkish LGBT organizations were blocked on X at the request of authorities.
In Ankara authorities accused Kaos GL of publishing material they described as obscene on its website and social media accounts and said the content was accessible to children. The allegations have not been proven in court.
Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said the operation was part of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s “Decade of the Family” and was aimed at “protecting our children, the institution of the family and social order.” He also cited investigations into funding received by LGBT organizations from foreign and public sources.
O’Flaherty said LGBT organizations and human rights defenders engage in human rights work protected under the European Convention on Human Rights and that advocacy for equality and non-discrimination is protected expression and association.
He said the European Court of Human Rights has made clear that references to “family values” or the “protection of children” cannot by themselves provide legal justification for restricting fundamental rights.
O’Flaherty also expressed concern about reports that defense lawyers had been denied full access to investigation files and that suspects were being required to retain separate lawyers without concrete, individualized evidence of a conflict of interest.
He said restrictions on civil society must have a clear legal basis, pursue a legitimate aim and be necessary and proportionate. Criminal investigations and detentions must be based on individualized evidence of a recognized criminal offense rather than a person’s identity, associations, advocacy, peaceful activism or receipt of lawful funding, he said.
O’Flaherty called on Turkish authorities to release anyone detained for engaging in human rights or civil society work and to guarantee access to legal assistance, judicial review, protection from ill-treatment and the presumption of innocence.
The European Commission on Monday also expressed concern about the arrests and legal proceedings targeting LGBT activists, rights organizations and businesses, as well as the blocking of websites and social media accounts and investigations into civil society funding.
European Parliament Turkey rapporteur Nacho Sánchez Amor described the crackdown as a “shocking escalation” in repression and said it violated fundamental rights and Turkey’s international commitments.
Same-sex relations are legal in Turkey, but LGBT people and organizations have faced growing pressure under Erdoğan’s government, which has increasingly portrayed LGBT rights as a threat to traditional family values.
O’Flaherty had previously raised concerns about restrictions on freedom of assembly, expression and association affecting LGBT people and organizations in a memorandum on Turkey. Turkey is a member of the 46-nation Council of Europe and is bound by the European Convention on Human Rights.
