Turkish authorities conduct raids on LGBTQ+ groups and HIV support organizations

ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkish authorities conducted a series of raids on multiple LGBTQ+ groups and individuals early Sunday morning, resulting in the detention of dozens of members and the breaking into association offices in major cities including Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Aydin, and Mersin. The police operations began at 1 a.m. and mark an escalation in the government's longstanding hostility toward LGBTQ+ groups, particularly ahead of upcoming elections. Justice Minister Akin Gurlek announced via social media that the investigation involves 162 suspects, nine associations, and 13 businesses, stating the actions were intended to "protect children, the institution of the family, and public order" in accordance with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's executive order regarding families and children. Gurlek emphasized that the state has a constitutional duty to protect families and children, asserting that no criminal organization or illegal activity targeting these groups would be tolerated. The raids affected both current and former members of prominent LGBTQ+ rights and HIV awareness organizations, and their websites were subsequently blocked. Gurlek also indicated that these associations were found to receive substantial funding from international sources. The Human Rights Association condemned the actions, describing them as a political operation aimed at enforcing a singular family model and suppressing LGBTQ+ and independent civil society under the pretext of protecting families and children. They criticized the inclusion of unrelated charges such as 'forming a criminal organization,' 'drugs,' 'prostitution,' and 'obscenity,' arguing that this serves to unjustly incriminate the entire community. The ruling Justice and Development Party has increasingly opposed LGBTQ+ groups to appeal to conservative elements of its base. In 2015, the party banned Istanbul Pride, which previously attracted tens of thousands of participants. Since then, authorities have violently dispersed any attempts to hold Pride events. This summer, an LGBTQ+ cruise ship that has docked in Turkey multiple times was denied permission to do so. Although the Ottoman Empire decriminalized homosexuality in 1858, significant social discrimination persists in modern Turkey.