Turkey launched a major crackdown on LGBT+ groups, dismantling advocacy infrastructure and increasing online censorship under family-focused operations.
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Turkey has initiated a significant crackdown on its LGBT+ community through an operation called “My Family Is Safe,” which involved raids across numerous cities in September. This operation targeted established rights organizations, legal assistance providers, and health information services by investigating suspects under charges such as being part of criminal organizations, obscenity, sex work, and drug offenses, despite homosexuality not being illegal in Turkey. The crackdown was accompanied by widespread online censorship, leading to the blocking of hundreds of websites and social media accounts belonging to LGBT+ groups and even independent news outlets. International bodies, including the EU Commission and various human rights envoys, have expressed deep concern over these repressive measures, while civil society has mounted protests and issued calls for the release of detainees. Despite international pressure, the arrests and censorship appear to be continuing without signs of easing.
