The Turks Government Orders Police to Detain Dozen Gays in Bars and Homes
Riot police have regularly chased LGBT activists during previous attempts to gather for pride parad Kieran Kelly BBC Police in Turkey have detained 47 people in a series of raids on gay bars and the homes of LGBTQ+ activists, officials say. Raids took place in 12 provinces over the weekend as part of a campaign dubbed "My Family is Safe" that the Turkish government says has been designed to protect family values. One of the targets of the operation was LGBTQ+ association Kaos GL. Same-sex marriage is not recognised in Turkey, with growing pressure on gay couples. Human rights groups in Turkey have accused the government of using the campaign to target the LGBTQ+ community. Officers detained 26 people and seized drugs, digital equipment, smuggled alcohol and a firearm during the raids, according to the Istanbul chief prosecutor's office. In a separate statement, the Ankara chief prosecutor's office said another 21 people had been detained as part of an invest...
