UN human rights experts blast Turkiye for anti-LGBTI arrests
Seven UN specialists declare: Türkiye must end LGBTI harassment
United Nations human experts issued a statement on Tuesday decrying the wave of arrests that Turkiye (Turkey) has conducted against LGBTI rights advocates and LGBTI advocacy organizations..
Since Sept. 12, Turkiye authorities have arrested or taken legal action against more than 400 LGBTI rights advocates — 117 in an initial crackdown, 124 people protesting against the first arrests and a further 160 people now facing judicial action.
The arrests are part of an anti-LGBTI initiative that Turkiye President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan calls the “My Family is Safe” campaign.
The experts’ statement is below.
The list of seven United Nations human rights experts who crafted the statement is here.
For more information about the Turkiye crackdown, read:
- Turkey: 162 targeted in anti-LGBTQ+ raids (Erasing 76 Crimes, Sept. 14, 2026)
- LGBTI+ rights activists in Turkey seek international support during crackdown (Erasing 76 Crimes, Sept. 16, 2026)
- Turkey’s anti-LGBT crackdown expands; activists fight back (Erasing 76 Crimes, Sept. 25, 2026)
Türkiye: UN experts alarmed by crackdown on LGBTI human rights defenders and civil society organisations
13 October 2026
GENEVA – UN experts* today denounced a severe crackdown on human rights defenders and LGBTI organisations in Türkiye, involving criminal, administrative and financial measures that unduly restrict the rights to freedom of expression and association and obstruct legitimate human rights work.
“Türkiye must end the harassment of LGBTI human rights defenders and organisations and ensure a safe and enabling environment in which they can exercise their rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association and continue their legitimate work without fear of arrest, intimidation, stigmatisation or criminalisation,” the experts said.
They noted that, since 12 September 2026, at least 44 human rights defenders have reportedly been detained or arrested in the framework of the so-called ‘My Family is Safe’ operation. Security forces have also searched private homes and offices, seizing digital equipment and blocking websites and social media accounts belonging to LGBTI persons or organisations defending their rights. At least 117 individuals were initially detained, with a reported 124 persons later detained during protests against the operation. The Minister of Justice has announced judicial measures against more than 160 individuals and 20 associations and businesses.
“We demand an immediate end to the so-called ‘My Family Is Safe’ operation,” the experts said.
“We are concerned that investigations reportedly invoke offences relating to ‘obscenity’, ‘morality’ and prostitution, alongside official statements describing associations as promoting ‘LGBT and immorality’ and the framing of LGBTI persons as a threat to families,” the experts said.
“Morality-based arguments cannot justify discriminatory restrictions against LGBTI persons or those defending their rights. Public officials should refrain from using stigmatising rhetoric and suggesting that legitimate advocacy is criminal or immoral.”
They questioned financial investigations reportedly being conducted into some affected organisations. “The receipt of international funding is permitted under Turkish law and does not constitute evidence of criminal conduct,” the experts said. “We are concerned that these investigations have reportedly publicised donors’ identities, violating their right to privacy and potentially deterring future donations. The ability of human rights defenders and associations to seek, receive and use resources is an integral part of their human rights.”
They were alarmed about reports of the detention conditions, particularly the risks faced by LGBTI persons, including allegations of discrimination and harassment based on HIV status and gender identity, unsanitary conditions, solitary confinement, humiliating searches, inadequate access to healthcare and medication and obstacles to due process guarantees.
“We demand the immediate release of persons detained solely for their legitimate human rights work and call on authorities to, in the interim, ensure access to adequate healthcare and medication, legal counsel and effective judicial safeguards, guarantee freedom from torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment and fully protect the physical and psychological integrity of all detainees,” they said.
The experts said the instrumental use of criminal law to punish or limit human rights work is a misuse of the justice system and entails human rights violations.
“We urge the Government to end criminal and financial investigations targeting LGBTI persons without a clear legal basis, return equipment not demonstrably required for lawful investigations and work with the platforms concerned to lift digital restrictions that do not meet human rights standards. They must protect confidential information and ensure that LGBTI and HIV-related organisations can continue legitimate activities free from intimidation, retaliation, stigmatisation or interference.”
The experts are in contact with the Government of Türkiye about this issue.
The experts:
- Andrea Bolaños Vargas, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Graeme Reid, the Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity
- Margaret Satterthwaite , the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers
- Leopoldo Maldonado Gutiérrez, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Gina Romero, the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association
- Claudia Flores (Chair), Ivana Krstić (Vice-Chair), Dorothy Estrada-Tanck, Haina Lu and Laura Nyirinkindi, Working Group on Discrimination against women and girls
- Robert McCorquodale (Chairperson), Ms. Fernanda Hopenhaym (Vice-Chairperson), Ms. Lyra Jakulevičienė, Ms. Pichamon Yeophantong, and Mr. Damilola Olawuyi, Working Group on Business and Human Rights
Special Rapporteurs/Independent Experts/Working Groups are independent human rights experts appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council. Together, these experts are referred to as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. While the UN Human Rights office acts as the secretariat for Special Procedures, the experts serve in their individual capacity and are independent from any government or organisation, including OHCHR and the UN. Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the UN or OHCHR.
