Turkish authorities have blocked social media accounts linked to several human rights organizations and media outlets on the platforms X and Instagram. The move came after a request submitted by state officials, according to the media regulatory body Ifod, which announced the action on Monday. This digital censorship follows a series of widespread police raids over the weekend that targeted gay bars and the residences of LGBTQ+ activists.
The blocks affected accounts belonging to the newspaper Evrensel, Amnesty International’s Turkish branch, the organization Academics for Peace, and the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA). According to Ifod, the platform X had already suspended more than twelve accounts belonging to Turkish organizations focused on LGBTQ+ rights during the weekend. Police detained dozens of individuals on Sunday as part of an operation described by authorities as an initiative to strengthen traditional family values.
Turkish Minister of Justice Akın Üzümcü stated on Sunday that the raids were conducted under the framework of the “Family Decade” initiative, launched by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan with the stated goal of protecting children, the family institution, and the social order. In a post published on Monday, the ministry affirmed its commitment to shielding families, children, and youth from exploitation, indecency, crime, and harmful content. Üzümcü emphasized that the government would not tolerate any criminal organizations targeting the family institution or the future of the nation’s youth.
Among the targets of the raids was the Kaos GL organization, whose offices were searched and officials arrested. The group accused Ankara prosecutors of charging them with distributing “indecent” material accessible to children. The crackdown has drawn sharp criticism from international bodies. On Monday, the European Union expressed concern regarding the police operations against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex community in Turkey, which resulted in the arrest of at least 60 people.
Christian Wigand, a spokesperson for the European Commission, stated that the Commission is worried about recent arrests and legal measures taken against LGBTQ+ activists and human rights associations. He reminded Turkey, as a candidate country for EU membership, that it must enhance and respect human rights and the dignity of all individuals regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. Wigand stressed that discrimination contradicts the core values of the European Union.
