Turkish authorities detain at least 150 at protest over LGBTQ+ arrests

New Delhi ( The Indian View team) : Turkish authorities detained at least 150 people on Tuesday after police intervened at a gathering outside Istanbul’s Caglayan courthouse, where demonstrators had planned to protest about recent detentions targeting LGBTQ+ groups, witnesses said.

The detentions marked the latest escalation in what rights groups and opposition figures have described as a widening campaign against the LGBTQ+ community, with authorities over the past week raiding association offices, blocking websites and jailing suspects across multiple provinces.

The protest came after sweeping raids targeting LGBTQ+ associations in several Turkish provinces under an operation dubbed “My Family is Safe,” which the government says is aimed at protecting children and family values.

Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O’Flaherty said on Tuesday he was concerned by the arrests, raids and online restrictions targeting LGBTQ+ civil society and human rights defenders.