Turkey detains dozens in crackdown on LGBTQ+ activists and journalists

The Guardian UK Thursday 17 September 2026, 04:00 UTC By Ruth Michaelson in Istanbul 1 min read

Key Points

Protesters teargassed as minister claims widespread raids and arrests under obscenity laws were to ‘protect families’ Turkish authorities have used accusations of obscenity to justify a wave of raids and arrests targeting the LGBTQ+ community, which has grown to include journalists as well as more than 150 arrested during protests against the raids. Starting in the early hours of Sunday, Turkish police carried out simultaneous raids on the offices of LGBTQ+ rights organisations and...

Protesters teargassed as minister claims widespread raids and arrests under obscenity laws were to ‘protect families’

Turkish authorities have used accusations of obscenity to justify a wave of raids and arrests targeting the LGBTQ+ community, which has grown to include journalists as well as more than 150 arrested during protests against the raids.

Starting in the early hours of Sunday, Turkish police carried out simultaneous raids on the offices of LGBTQ+ rights organisations and HIV-advocacy groups in the cities of Istanbul, the capital, Ankara, and the coastal city of İzmir, as well as the cities of Aydın and Mersin.

Turkey (LOCATION) Turkish (ORG) Istanbul (LOCATION) Ankara (LOCATION) İzmir (LOCATION) Aydın (LOCATION) Mersin (LOCATION)

Originally published by The Guardian UK Read original →

Turkey detains dozens in crackdown on LGBTQ+ activists and journalists

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