Turkish authorities detained 26 people and conducted searches of six LGBTQ+ association offices during raids over the weekend. Prosecutors stated that drugs, digital equipment, smuggled alcohol, and a firearm were seized in these operations spanning 12 provinces. The government calls this crackdown part of their “My Family is Safe” campaign to protect family values and combat falling birth rates, while rights groups criticize it as discriminatory against the LGBTQ+ community.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-13,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On September 12, Turkish authorities conducted simultaneous raids at 1 a.m. across multiple cities including Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Aydin, and Mersin, targeting LGBTQ+ groups and HIV support organizations. The crackdown involved detaining dozens of individuals, searching offices and popular hangouts, and seizing items such as drugs, digital equipment, and firearms from the locations raided. The Turkish government justified these actions under its “My Family is Safe” campaign, which it claims aims to protect family values, amid President Erdogan’s push for a "Decade of Family and Population" initiative to address declining birth rates and an aging population. Kaos GL, an LGBTQ+ association based in Ankara, reported that at least 50 activists were detained during the raids, more than the official count of 26 people given by Turkish prosecutors. Additionally, authorities blocked access to dozens of websites and social media accounts linked to LGBTQ+ organizations, further restricting online support networks.
Written for “Turkey Cracks Down On Lgbtq Groups” on 2026-09-14,
grounded in this article and the 2 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.35, but every quote it verified points right, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 8634: score contradicts its own evidence · logged 2026-09-13
Authorities in Turkey have detained 26 people and searched the offices of six LGBTQ+ associations in a series of raids.
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Authorities → detain → raids
prosecutors said.
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prosecutors → say → ?
The crackdown is part of a campaign that the government says is aimed at protecting ‘family values’.
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government → say → values
The Istanbul chief prosecutor's office said operations were carried out across 12 provinces against 38 suspects over the weekend, with authorities seizing drugs, digital equipment, smuggled alcohol and a firearm.
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authorities → say → drugs
Ankara-based LGBTQ+ association Kaos GL said at least 50 activists had been detained - a higher figure than that given by the chief prosecutor's office - including more than 10 who were taken in police raids on their homes.
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who → base → homes
In addition, it said authorities blocked access to dozens of websites and social media accounts linked to LGBTI+ organisations, activists and rights advocates.
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authorities → say → organisations
Dubbed "My Family is Safe", the government's crackdown comes as President Tayyip Erdogan promotes a "Decade of Family and Population", an initiative designed to tackle falling birth rates and an aging demographic.
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Erdogan → dub → rates
Rights groups have accused the Turkish government of increasingly targeting the LGBTQ+ community in recent years through a hardening of rhetoric and restrictions.
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groups → accuse → rhetoric
"The real name of this operation is not 'My Family is Safe'; it is state-led discrimination, politics of fear and the dismantling of civil society," the Turkish Human Rights Association said on X.
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Association → lead → X.
The prosecutor's office said evidence indicated that children and underage youths were being inappropriately influenced on issues relating to sexual orientation and gender identity.
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children → say → orientation
Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said investigations coordinated by prosecutors in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Aydin and Mersin involved judicial proceedings against 162 suspects, nine associations and 13 businesses across 15 provinces.
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investigations → say → provinces
