'State-led discrimination'

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Published: 2026-09-14T08:50:22.926Z • Permanent link

Turkish police carried out a series of mass raids on gay bars and the homes of LGBTQ activists on Sunday, arresting at least 60 people in an operation aimed at boosting traditional family values. The raids, which were widely condemned by rights groups and international organizations, were the latest in a series of crackdowns on the country's LGBTQ community.

Turkish authorities claimed that the raids were necessary to protect the country's moral fabric, but many observers saw them as a blatant attempt to suppress the rights of minority groups. The operation was carried out by police from the Istanbul Metropolitan Police Department, who were reportedly supported by officials from the Turkish government.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has long been a vocal critic of LGBTQ rights, and his government has implemented a number of policies aimed at restricting the freedoms of the community. These policies have been widely condemned by human rights groups and international organizations, which have accused the Turkish government of using anti-LGBTQ rhetoric to justify its crackdowns.

Turkish police have been cracking down on LGBTQ activism for years, and the latest raids were the latest in a long line of crackdowns on the community. The raids were widely condemned by rights groups and international organizations, including the United Nations and the European Union.

Human Rights Watch, a leading human rights organization, described the raids as "a brutal attack on the rights of LGBTQ individuals in Turkey". The organization accused the Turkish government of using anti-LGBTQ rhetoric to justify its crackdowns and called on the international community to condemn the raids.

Davin Sobel, a human rights advocate at Human Rights Watch, said that the raids were "a stark reminder of the dire situation facing LGBTQ individuals in Turkey". He called on the Turkish government to end its persecution of the community and to respect the rights of all individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.