Turkey's oldest LGBTQ+ group has office closed as crackdown continues

Turkey's oldest LGBTQ+ organization, Lambda Istanbul, has seen its office sealed by authorities, as a country-wide crackdown on LGBTQ+ groups continues. The Istanbul Governor’s Office sealed the office of Lambda Istanbul on Wednesday, labeling it an unauthorised social club. Lambda Istanbul, established in 1993, claims its activities have been open, transparent, and compliant with official records.

The group asserts they are resolutely against the framing of their work as that of an unauthorised club, and vehemently oppose the encroachment on their living spaces. Lambda Istanbul was formally registered as an association in 2006. Another LGBTQ+ group, Hevi LGBTI+, announced an indictment against five of its founding members for violating the law on associations.

The crackdown follows President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's recent declaration of a "Decade of the Family," characterizing the LGBTQ+ community as a threat to family values. Over 80 people have been formally arrested and are awaiting trial under charges ranging from obscenity to assisting prostitution.