Turkey's latest crackdown on independent media targets outlets pushing 'LGBT propaganda'
A court in Istanbul shut down T24, an independent news outlet, over allegedly publishing 'LGBT propaganda.'
Turkish authorities have intensified their crackdown on independent media, targeting outlets accused of spreading "LGBT propaganda." Over the past week, an independent news website, T24, was shut down, and its affiliated social media accounts were blocked due to content deemed "LGBT propaganda" by prosecutors. This marks the second major move against the LGBT community in recent weeks. Additionally, dozens of LGBT individuals were arrested as part of a campaign dubbed "My Family is Safe."
The court's decision to block T24's access was formally served via email on Wednesday. The media site contested the claim, arguing that no LGBT "propaganda" was published and that the decision violated broadcast and free-expression laws. Reporters Without Borders ranked Turkey 163rd out of 180 countries in its 2026 World Press Freedom Index, a decline from 159th place in 2025.
Turkish authorities also targeted social media accounts accused of spreading "pro-Israel propaganda" on X/Twitter. A total of 147 accounts that shared content about the country's financial crisis were blocked. These accounts included individuals working in finance, economics, academia, and journalism, with a combined following of approximately 2.65 million users.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
