Turkish authorities targeted at least 162 people during an offensive against the country's LGBTQIAPN+ community over the weekend. Ankara claims that the police raids on gay bars, activists' homes, and other locations aimed to protect "family values." According to AFP, at least 63 people were arrested during the conservative crackdown.
Justice Minister Akin Gurlek posted on social media platform X that legal proceedings were initiated against 162 suspects, 9 organizations, and 13 companies across a total of 15 provinces, including Istanbul and Ankara. The operations, called "My Family is Safe," were carried out in collaboration with police and gendarmerie forces.
Gurlek did not specify how many people were actually detained during the operation. The raids occurred in the context of the "Decade of the Family," proclaimed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with the aim of "protecting our children, the family institution, and social order."
In Istanbul, police raided several establishments and residences during the operation against the LGBTQIAPN+ community.
