08/11/2026 | Writer: Kaos GL
New detentions of trans women in İzmir, access bans on dating apps and a “public morality” requirement at COP31 dominated this week's agenda. Meanwhile, the European Commission highlighted repression against LGBTI+ people in its annual enlargement report.
Detentions and arrests targeting LGBTI+ people in Türkiye remained at the forefront of the agenda this week. The detention of 12 trans women in İzmir marked another operation targeting trans women following the “My Family Is Safe” operations launched on September 12. Meanwhile, the European Commission's Türkiye report extensively addressed repression against LGBTI+ people, while access bans imposed on digital platforms and the “public morality” requirement imposed on COP31 speakers reignited debates over freedom of expression.
Detentions, court decisions and calls for freedom
One of the week's major developments took place in İzmir. During operations carried out on the morning of November 3, 12 trans women were detained on allegations of “encouraging prostitution” and “establishing an organization for the purpose of committing crimes.” Six trans women who were referred to court with a request for pretrial detention were subsequently placed in pretrial detention. The operation followed the widespread detentions and arrests that began on September 12 and the Ankara-led operation targeting trans women across seven provinces on October 23.
In response to the detentions in İzmir, 15 LGBTI+ organizations issued a joint statement demanding an end to the operations. The organizations said that trans women's social media posts, private lives and relationships with one another were being treated as grounds for criminal suspicion, declaring: “Being trans is not a crime.”
As the operations continued, preparations also began for the hearing of five trans women imprisoned in Ankara. The We Want Freedom Campaign announced that five trans women arrested during the “My Family Is Safe” operations and held in Sincan Prison would appear before the Ankara 61st Criminal Court of First Instance on Thursday, November 12, at 10:30 a.m. The campaign pointed out that the indictment against the women treated their social media posts and gender identities as grounds for criminal accusations and called on the public to attend the hearing.
The treatment of trans people in prisons also came to the forefront this week following another judicial decision. An appeal against the decision not to prosecute in the investigation into the death of trans man Poyraz Esen, who died at Sincan Women's Closed Prison on December 3, 2025, was rejected. According to Pembe Hayat, lawyers representing Poyraz's family argued that the investigation had been incomplete and had failed to examine the responsibilities of prison officials or the possible impact of discriminatory practices on his death. However, the Ankara West 1st Criminal Judgeship of Peace rejected the appeal without separately assessing objections concerning medical records, witness statements, solitary confinement and delays in medical intervention. The family's lawyers will take the decision to the Constitutional Court.
From digital censorship to COP31: Debates over freedom of expression
Restrictions on LGBTI+ rights were not limited to detentions and arrests. A new access ban was also imposed in the digital sphere. According to an announcement by the Freedom of Expression Association, nine dating and social networking platforms — OkCupid, Feeld, GROWLR, Zoe, Lex, Bindr, u4Bear, Disco and TheBlowers — were blocked by a November 4 decision of the Istanbul 1st Criminal Judgeship of Peace.
Another focus of debates over freedom of expression was the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP31, scheduled to begin in Antalya next week. According to a report by Tuğçe Yılmaz of Spot Press Cooperative, panelists speaking in the Green Zone of the conference, which will take place from November 9 to 20, were asked to pledge that their presentations and speeches would comply with “public morality standards.” However, the declaration prepared for speakers to sign did not explain how “public morality” was defined. Sexual orientation and gender identity were also not explicitly listed among the grounds of discrimination in the document.
The controversy soon reached Parliament. Özgül Saki, an Istanbul MP from the DEM Party, submitted a parliamentary question to Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum, asking what criteria would be used to enforce the “public morality” requirement. Warning that the legally undefined concept could become a tool for restricting freedom of expression, Saki requested clarification on whether discussions of policies affecting women, gender inequality and LGBTI+ rights would be prevented at the conference.
International reactions and solidarity
Developments in Türkiye were also on the agenda of international institutions. In its 2026 Türkiye Report, the European Commission described repression against LGBTI+ people as “particularly concerning.” The report highlighted the “My Family Is Safe” operations launched on September 12, investigations targeting LGBTI+ organizations, access restrictions imposed on social media accounts and difficulties accessing hormone treatment. The Commission noted that legal protections for LGBTI+ rights remained inadequate and that discrimination and hate speech persisted.
During the week the report was published, a joint delegation from the European Union and the Council of Europe also met with LGBTI+ organizations in Ankara. The delegation, which included European Parliament Rapporteur on Türkiye Nacho Sánchez Amor, met with representatives of Kaos GL, 17 Mayıs, ÜniKuir, Pembe Hayat, Kırmızı Şemsiye and GALADER at Kaos GL's office, which had been raided by police during the September 12 operations. The meeting addressed operations targeting LGBTI+ people and human rights defenders, arrests and human rights violations in prisons.
As international institutions continued to assess human rights violations in Türkiye, LGBTI+ organizations also maintained solidarity with other social movements. The We Want Freedom Campaign and Ankara Pride visited the Peace Mothers, who had traveled to Ankara from 24 cities to demand concrete steps in the peace process. Following the visit, which took place during a gathering of approximately 300 Peace Mothers in Ankara, the campaign declared: “The threat to families is not LGBTI+ people, but policies of war and discrimination.”
Trump suffers electoral defeat in the US as LGBTI+ representation breaks records
While these developments shaped the agenda in Türkiye, Republicans lost their congressional majority in the US midterm elections held on November 3. A record number of openly LGBTI+ politicians were elected to Congress. Chris Pappas of New Hampshire became the first openly gay man elected to the US Senate.
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and LGBTI+ media advocacy organization GLAAD interpreted the election results as a response to Trump's anti-LGBTI+ policies. HRC President Kelley Robinson said, “Voters sent a powerful message: Equality wins,” while GLAAD President Sarah Kate Ellis emphasized that spreading fear about trans people was not a winning electoral strategy. The organizations highlighted the Republicans' defeat despite spending millions of dollars on anti-trans campaigns.
Tags: human rights, women, media, lgbti
