The International Press Institute (IPI) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called on Turkish authorities on Wednesday to release journalists jailed or detained over their work during a nationwide crackdown targeting LGBTQ+ individuals and organizations since September 12.
IPI condemned the broader crackdown on journalists, media organizations and civil society groups, including detentions and widespread access restrictions, while CPJ called for the release of freelance journalist Tuğba Tekerek, who was jailed pending trial over a 2024 article for the LGBTQ+ news outlet Kaos GL.
IPI called for the immediate release of journalists detained solely for their work, citing Tekerek’s case and the detention of reporters covering protests against the operations, and urged authorities to lift access restrictions targeting media outlets, journalists and rights groups.
The institute also cited the detention of BirGün reporter Sarya Toprak and ARD correspondent Şener Azak, who were taken into custody on September 15 while covering a protest against the operations outside İstanbul’s Çağlayan Courthouse. They were among 106 people detained at the demonstration, all of whom were released late Wednesday.
IPI also pointed to court-ordered restrictions that blocked social media accounts belonging to journalists Fırat Fıstık, Özlem Akarsu Çelik, İrem Afşin and Sky News correspondent Alex Crawford, along with accounts belonging to media outlets and rights organizations.
CPJ called for Tekerek’s immediate and unconditional release, with its Europe and Central Asia regional director, Fiona O’Brien, saying her imprisonment over freelance reporting from two years ago was “unacceptable” and sent “a chilling message to other journalists.”
Tekerek was detained in İstanbul on September 13 and taken to Ankara for questioning about a 2024 article she wrote for Kaos GL on the situation of LGBTQ+ people around elections in neighboring Georgia. A court on Tuesday jailed her pending trial on accusations related to obscenity over the article.
The detentions and restrictions are part of the nationwide “My Family Is Safe” operations, which began on September 12 and, according to Justice Minister Akın Gürlek, involved legal proceedings against 162 people, nine associations and 13 businesses in 15 provinces. At least 81 people have since been jailed pending trial, while authorities have also moved to shut down two LGBTQ+ rights groups in the southern province of Mersin.
The investigations involve accusations including obscenity, prostitution, drug possession and establishing a criminal organization. In the investigation targeting Kaos GL, prosecutors have also alleged that some online content exposed children to material about sexual orientation and gender identity and violated public morality.
The Justice Ministry on Monday instructed 175 chief public prosecutors’ offices across all 81 provinces to review complaints about material alleged to expose children and young people to obscenity or promote “genderlessness,” and to seek access restrictions when deemed necessary.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and senior officials from his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) have increasingly portrayed LGBTQ+ visibility as a threat to public morality and family values, while authorities have for years restricted Pride marches and publicly targeted LGBTQ+ advocacy.
