Police detain dozens at Istanbul protest over LGBTQ+ crackdown

Police on Tuesday detained dozens of demonstrators who staged a protest outside a courthouse in Istanbul to demand the release of LGBTQ+ activists taken into custody during a sweeping crackdown days earlier.

Police surrounded the demonstrators outside the Caglayan courthouse before detaining them.

On Sunday, Turkish authorities cracked down on multiple LGBTQ+ groups and individuals, detaining dozens of members, breaking into association offices and raiding popular hangouts. The organizations’ websites were also blocked.

The crackdown aimed to “protect children, the institution of the family, and public order,” Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said. He said the operation, dubbed “My Family is Safe,” targeted 162 suspects, nine associations and 13 businesses.

On Tuesday, Michael O’Flaherty, the Strasbourg, France-based Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights, expressed concerns over the raids and detentions, saying “mere references to ‘family values’ or ‘protection of children’ cannot serve as legal justification for human rights restrictions.”

“I call on the Turkish authorities to release anyone detained for engaging in human rights or civil society work,” he said in a statement, adding that he would continue to monitor the situation.

Outside the courthouse, demonstrators carried banners reading: “Being LGBT+ and organizing is not a crime” and chanted slogans…

Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/world