Turkish authorities have launched a large-scale crackdown targeting LGBTI+ organisations, activists and human rights defenders, involving coordinated raids, detentions and restrictions on online content across multiple provinces. Investigations reportedly cover 162 suspects, nine associations and 13 businesses, while association offices and activists’ homes have been raided and websites and social media accounts linked to LGBTI+ organisations and rights advocates blocked. On 15 September, at least 150 people were also detained after police prevented a gathering outside Istanbul’s Çağlayan courthouse protesting the crackdown. The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights has expressed concern over the arrests, raids and online restrictions and stressed that references to “family values” or the protection of children cannot in themselves justify restrictions on human rights, calling for the release of anyone detained for human rights or civil society work. Read more here.
Source: Reuters