Two international rights groups on Wednesday called on Turkish authorities to immediately release LGBTQI+ rights defenders detained over their peaceful advocacy, end judicial harassment and reverse restrictions imposed during a nationwide crackdown.
The appeal was issued by the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint program of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT). It urged Turkey to halt efforts to dissolve LGBTQI+ organizations, lift court-ordered blocks on websites and social media accounts and withdraw or refrain from implementing a September 14 Justice Ministry circular that targets legitimate LGBTQI+ advocacy, health, education and support work.
The Observatory also called on authorities to ensure the physical and psychological safety of detained rights defenders and end what it described as judicial harassment and digital repression targeting LGBTQI+ activists and organizations.
The appeal followed a series of police raids that began on September 12 and spread across Istanbul, Ankara, İzmir, Aydın and Mersin, targeting LGBTQI+ organizations, their members and other individuals.
As of September 17, at least 116 people had been detained in connection with the operations, including 44 LGBTQI+ human rights defenders, according to the Observatory. Of those detained, 82 were jailed pending trial, including 25 LGBTQI+ rights defenders, while others were released under judicial supervision or on health or age-related grounds.
The organizations targeted included the Ankara-based Kaos GL Association; the Social Policy, Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Studies Association (SPoD); the Association of Families and Friends of LGBTI+ in Turkey (LİSTAG); HEVİ LGBTI+ Association; Lambdaistanbul; the Muamma LGBTQI+ Association; the Mersin 7 Renk LGBTQI+ Solidarity Association; and two organizations working with people living with HIV, Pozitif Yaşam and Pozitif-iz.
Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said judicial proceedings had been launched against 162 people, nine associations and 13 businesses in the operation, which he called “My Family is Safe.” The figure of 162 refers to people subject to legal proceedings and is not the number detained.
Authorities have cited allegations including facilitating prostitution, providing premises for prostitution and producing or distributing obscene material accessible to children. Some case files also include allegations related to criminal organizations and drugs, according to the Observatory.
Some association officials have also been accused of violating Turkey’s Law on Associations over activities authorities allege are prohibited by law or constitute a crime.
The İstanbul Governor’s Office has also sought the temporary suspension and dissolution of SPoD, Lambdaistanbul, LİSTAG and HEVİ LGBTI+, according to the Observatory.
Separately, the Justice Ministry on September 14 instructed chief public prosecutors across Turkey’s 81 provinces to investigate content and activities deemed contrary to “public morality” or harmful to families, children and young people, including activities authorities characterize as encouraging young people toward “genderlessness.”
FIDH and OMCT warned that these instructions could lead to investigations of more LGBTQI+ organizations and activists and urged authorities not to use Turkey’s Law on Associations to target lawful rights work.
Courts have also ordered access restrictions on websites and social media accounts belonging to LGBTQI+ organizations and others. The Observatory said the restrictions extended to accounts belonging to the newspaper Evrensel, Amnesty International Türkiye, Academics for Peace and the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA).
