Turkish Crackdown On LGBTQ+ Organizations Threatens Freedom of Expression and Association
EFF strongly condemns Turkey’s state-led discriminatory, oppressive attacks on feminist and LGBTQ+ organisations, media platforms, student groups, and rights defenders and activists within the country. Since mid-September, access to the websites and social media accounts of a dozen organizations have been blocked by court order , while over 60 members and activists have been detained, their…
The Turkish government has launched a crackdown on LGBTQ+ organizations, threatening freedom of expression and association. Since mid-September, over a dozen organizations have had their websites and social media accounts blocked, while more than 60 members and activists have been detained. Their offices and homes have been raided, and they have been denied access to their digital devices.
This crackdown, dubbed "My Family is Safe," comes under the guise of protecting family values and child safety, but it is actually an attempt to suppress LGBTQ+ groups and advocates for their rights. The government has targeted these organizations' online platforms, accusing them of airing "LGBT propaganda" and disseminating obscene content.
The investigations are being led by the Cyber Crimes Bureau of the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, which has seized electronic devices and arrested board members. This new wave of oppression follows years of increasing government scrutiny, including criminal proceedings on allegations of obscenity and violations of Turkey's Law on Associations.
The crackdown not only limits the ability of LGBTQ+ organizations to carry out their legitimate human rights work, but it also deters participation and support for these groups, chilling the free speech rights of any organization that reports on LGBTQ+ oppression. This action sets a dangerous precedent, sending a message to other organizations and individuals advocating for queer rights that their legitimate civil society work may be perceived as criminal.
Human rights organizations worldwide, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation, have called for the immediate release of those detained and the unblocking of affected websites and social media accounts. They urge international partners to raise awareness of and speak out against this anti-LGBTQ+ crackdown, demonstrating support for the legitimacy of Turkish LGBTQ+ organizations and their crucial work in ensuring the safety and freedom of queer people.
Written by urgent.news from EFF Deeplinks's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
