Istanbul Police Detain Dozens at LGBT+ Solidarity Rally
Turkish police detained dozens of demonstrators outside an Istanbul courthouse on Tuesday who were demanding the release of previously detained LGBT+ activists. The Council of Europe's human rights commissioner has called on Turkish authorities to free all those held for civil society activity.
On Tuesday, September 15, Turkish police detained several dozen people who had gathered outside a courthouse in Istanbul to protest the detention of LGBT+ activists arrested days earlier. The incident was reported by AP, according to Ukrainska Pravda.
Demonstrators outside the courthouse in the Çağlayan district held signs stating that being LGBT+ and organizing is not a crime, and chanted slogans in support of the community's rights. Police surrounded the protesters and subsequently detained them.
Earlier raids
On Sunday, September 13, more than 20 people were detained in Turkey, and searches were carried out at the offices of six LGBTQ+ organizations. The raids were part of a wider crackdown based on accusations of prostitution and the distribution of obscene material.
The detentions came amid a government campaign called "My Family Is Safe," which coincides with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's promotion of a "Decade of Family and Population" initiative aimed at addressing declining birth rates and an aging population.
International reaction
Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O'Flaherty expressed concern over the raids and detentions, stating that mere references to "family values" or "child protection" cannot serve as legal justification for restricting human rights. He called on Turkish authorities to release everyone detained for participating in human rights or civil society activities.
The episode follows other recent incidents in Turkey related to freedom of expression, including a prosecutorial investigation into a local newspaper over a social media post and the arrest of a stand-up comedian over jokes about Erdoğan and Islam.
