Turkey's 'Family is Safe' operation targets LGBT groups, 163 suspects processed

October 4, 2026 at 07:00 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Turkey's 'Family is Safe' operation processed 163 suspects, 9 associations, and 13 businesses across 15 cities last month. The crackdown led to the arrest of dozens of LGBT individuals and the closure of T24's website and social media account. The operation effectively criminalizes homosexuality despite no explicit provision in the penal code.

Key Facts

Last month, 163 suspects, 9 associations, and 13 businesses were processed in 15 cities under the 'Family is Safe' operation.
Journalist Tuba Tekerek was among those sent to prison.
T24's website and social media account were closed.
118 news articles and writings published in the last year were cited as grounds for the ban, allegedly aimed at LGBT propaganda.
Şerife Gezer, 40, was killed 12 days after a 30-day restraining order was issued against Hakan Sayacı.

Operation Scope

The 'Family is Safe' operation processed 163 suspects, 9 associations, and 13 businesses across 15 cities last month. Dozens of homosexual, transgender, and transvestite individuals were arrested. Journalist Tuba Tekerek was among those sent to prison. T24's website and social media account were closed.

Legal Justification

The operation effectively criminalizes homosexuality despite no explicit provision in the penal code. 118 news articles and writings published in the last year were cited as grounds for the ban, allegedly aimed at LGBT propaganda. The latest cited item was a murder news story written by Yıldız Tar, editor-in-chief of the closed Kaos-GL magazine. The article covered the trial of the murder of transsexual Ecem Seçkin, killed by a client three years ago.

Şerife Gezer Case

Şerife Gezer, 40, was killed 12 days after a 30-day restraining order was issued against Hakan Sayacı. On August 13, Sayacı confronted Gezer and her fiancé in Gaziosmanpaşa, Istanbul, punched Gezer in the face, and threatened to kill her. Gezer and her father filed a complaint, and a 30-day restraining order was issued against Sayacı under the Law on Protection of the Family and Prevention of Violence Against Women. On August 25, Gezer boarded a minibus on the Cebeci-Edirnekapı line and was killed after the vehicle stopped to pick up a male passenger 300 meters later.