Labour MP Feryal Clark has led a cross-party group of parliamentarians calling on Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband to urgently challenge the Turkish Government over a wave of detentions, raids and online restrictions targeting LGBT+ organisations, activists and human rights defenders.
In a letter sent on 15 September, Clark and 52 MPs and peers said they were “gravely concerned” by reports of coordinated action across Türkiye beginning on 12 September, including the blocking of websites and social media accounts associated with LGBT+ organisations, rights defenders and student groups.
Clark said publicly:
“Deeply concerning reports are emerging of action being taken against LGBT+ people, organisations and human rights defenders across Türkiye, including detentions, raids and the blocking of websites and social media accounts.”
The intervention comes after Turkish authorities launched a large-scale operation reportedly known as “My Family is Safe”, involving investigations across multiple provinces. Turkish Justice Minister Akın Gürlek has said 162 suspects are under investigation, while nine associations and 13 businesses have also been targeted.
MPs demand urgent representations to Ankara
The letter asks the Foreign Secretary to take four specific steps: publicly condemn arbitrary detention or intimidation of LGBT+ people and human rights defenders; make urgent representations to the Turkish Government; summon the Turkish ambassador to seek an explanation of the legal basis for the operations; and review travel advice for British nationals who may be affected.
The parliamentarians also ask ministers to raise particular concerns about the reported use of Article 220 of the Turkish Criminal Code, which deals with membership or organisation of criminal groups.
LGBT+ organisations have warned that applying organised-crime provisions to rights advocacy would represent a serious escalation in the criminalisation of civil society.
Raids across Türkiye
According to organisations on the ground, restrictions began on 12 September when an Istanbul court ordered access blocks on the websites and social media accounts of a series of LGBT+ organisations, media platforms, student groups and individual activists.
Police operations then began in the early hours of 13 September across several provinces, including Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir and Mersin.
Kaos GL, one of Türkiye’s longest-established LGBT+ rights organisations, said members of its governing and supervisory bodies were among those detained and that its offices were searched.
Authorities have said the investigations involve allegations including obscenity, prostitution and offences concerning children. Human rights organisations, however, have argued that the scale and nature of the operation indicate a much broader campaign against LGBT+ civil society.
International concern grows
Concern over the crackdown has also spread internationally.
The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights has criticised the use of “family values” to justify restrictions on fundamental rights and called for people detained solely for legitimate civil-society activity to be released.
European LGBT+ rights groups have described the raids and digital restrictions as an unprecedented coordinated assault on civil society in Türkiye.
Broad Labour support
Clark’s letter has been signed by a wide group of parliamentarians, including Labour MPs Luke Akehurst, James Asser, Olivia Bailey, Josh Babarinde, Alex Barros-Curtis, Danny Beales, Rachel Blake, Chris Bloore, Dawn Butler, Bambos Charalambous, Ben Coleman, Jacob Collier, Stella Creasy, Chris Curtis, Janet Daby, Ashley Dalton and Damien Egan.
The breadth of support reflects growing concern in Parliament over the direction of human rights and civil liberties in Türkiye.
Clark: UK should be unequivocal on fundamental rights
The letter concludes that Britain should be “unequivocal” in defending LGBT+ people’s rights to freedom of expression and association.
Clark and her colleagues are asking Miliband to set out what action the Government has already taken and what further steps it intends to pursue with Ankara.
Their message is that the UK’s close diplomatic and security relationship with Türkiye should not prevent ministers from speaking clearly when fundamental rights, due process and civil society freedoms are under threat.
