Police raid LGBTQI+ bar in Türkiye

Police carried out a raid on an LGBTQI+ bar in the Turkish capital Ankara. Seven people were arrested as part of an investigation into the bar. The Ankara Chief Prosecutor's Office announced that the investigation began after examining citizen notifications sent through CIMER (Presidential Communication Center) and social media posts.

The prosecutor's office said that the investigation was launched based on "findings indicating that sexual entertainment was organized" and "acts considered obscene and against public morality" were taking place in the LGBTQI+ space.

The seven people detained during the investigation were formally arrested by the court.

Following the operation, some media outlets targeted LGBTQI+ people. Media outlets close to the Turkish government published headlines such as "7 suspects arrested for LGBT disorder" and "No tolerance for LGBT disorder" when reporting on the incident.

Cultural and political debates regarding gender and family policy have been ongoing in Türkiye for the past few years. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has declared 2025 the “Year of the Family,” emphasizing conservative social values as part of a broader policy aimed at demographic concerns. Turkey has debated a new bill targeting LGBTQI+ self-expression and gender transition.

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