Turkish Court Orders Detention Of 16 In LGBTQ+ Crackdown

According to Nikkei Asia, a Turkish court ordered 16 people detained pending trial in Izmir as part of a government campaign that has included raids on LGBTQ+ associations. The Izmir chief prosecutor's office said 18 suspects were detained under the "My Family is Safe" operation, with 16 remanded in jail and two placed under judicial supervision. Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said on Sunday that investigations coordinated by prosecutors in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Aydin and Mersin involved 162 suspects, nine associations and 13 businesses across 15 provinces. Authorities detained 26 people in Istanbul and 21 in Ankara over the weekend and raided the offices of several LGBTQ+ associations. Prosecutors said the investigations cover alleged offenses including prostitution and obscenity, and that children and minors were being inappropriately influenced on issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity.