Turkey Targets LGBTQ+ Groups and Activists in Broad Crackdown

• Since mid-September, the Turkish government has launched a campaign against LGBTQ+ organizations, feminist groups, and media outlets.
• Authorities have blocked the digital presence of at least 12 organizations and detained over 60 activists, seizing their electronic devices and raiding homes and offices.
• The operation, titled "My Family is Safe," is part of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s "Decade of the Family" initiative.

Legal Basis for the Crackdown

• The government is characterizing legitimate civil society work—such as legal aid, news reporting, and cultural event hosting—as the operation of a "criminal organization."
• Primary legal tools utilized by prosecutors include:
  • Article 226 of the Turkish Penal Code: Allegations of "obscenity," despite no clear definition.
  • Article 220 of the Turkish Penal Code: Charges of founding or belonging to a criminal organization.
• T24, a prominent independent news outlet, was shut down for allegedly airing "LGBT propaganda."

Implications for Human Rights

• Conviction for leading a criminal organization carries five to ten years in prison, while membership carries two to five years.
• The crackdown aims to enforce a moral code while effectively chilling freedom of expression and association for all organizations reporting on the rights of queer people.
• Global rights groups, including the EFF, are calling for the immediate release of detainees and the restoration of blocked digital platforms, emphasizing that the internet remains a vital space for the safety and support of LGBTQ+ individuals.