24/09/2026 | Writer: Kaos GL
Following the “My Family Is Safe” operations, LGBTI+ rights defenders launched the “We Want Freedom” campaign. The campaign called for solidarity to demand the release of those imprisoned and an end to repression and censorship.
Following the “My Family Is Safe” operations targeting LGBTI+ people, rights defenders came together to establish the We Want Freedom Campaign Group. Launched with the slogan “Everywhere is a prison, we want freedom!”, the campaign called for expanding solidarity with those imprisoned, amplifying the voices of LGBTI+ organizations under attack, and informing the public about developments related to the operations.
The Campaign Group recalled that the process began on September 12 with access restrictions imposed on the websites and social media accounts of LGBTI+ organizations, publications, and communities, and continued the following night with raids on homes, associations, and businesses. According to figures announced regarding operations centered in Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Mersin, and Aydın, legal proceedings were initiated against 162 people, nine associations, and 13 businesses.
According to the figures shared by the group, a total of 82 people were arrested: 20 in Istanbul, 13 in Ankara, 16 in Izmir, 28 in Mersin, and five in Aydın. Those arrested include association executives and members, journalists, rights defenders, and trans women. Around 130 people were also detained during protests against the operations.
“Our solidarity and support networks are also being targeted”
The statement drew attention to the fact that news reports, social media posts, and human rights advocacy activities have been cited as grounds for accusations in the investigations. It noted that access restrictions targeting LGBTI+ organizations have expanded to include the accounts of human rights organizations, media outlets, and professional organizations: “In this way, rights defenders have been targeted while the channels through which their voices can be heard have also been restricted.”
The Campaign Group emphasized that the targeted associations serve as support mechanisms through which LGBTI+ people can access legal and psychosocial counseling, reliable health information, and peer support:
“Our associations are places where people facing discrimination can seek help, where they can find support in the face of violence, and where they can access legal and psychosocial counseling, reliable health information, and peer support.”
The statement noted that the imprisonment of association staff and executives and the blocking of communication channels directly affect people who rely on these forms of support. It also said that targeting organizations working in the field of HIV raises additional concerns regarding access to counseling and privacy.
“Our families are safe when we are all safe”
Responding to the “My Family Is Safe” narrative with the message “Our families are safe when we are all safe,” the Campaign Group expressed its demands regarding safety and family as follows:
“We seek safety in being able to live free from violence, have access to housing, work with security, access healthcare, and be ourselves without facing discrimination. In the face of poverty, violence, and precarity, we demand equality and justice for everyone.”
Call to media workers
The campaign also issued a call to media workers, news outlets, independent journalists, and influencers. It called on journalists to cover the developments since September 12 in their entirety, follow arrest and judicial proceedings, investigate reports of rights violations in prisons, and report on access restrictions.
The statement also called on journalists to include the voices of those targeted, their lawyers, and rights organizations in their reporting, and not to present accusations as established facts.
The Campaign Group concluded its statement with the following words:
“We want freedom for our imprisoned friends and an end to repression and censorship. We are here to amplify our voice, our struggle, and our solidarity.”
E-mail: ozgurlukistiyoruzkampanyagrubu@gmail.com
Instagram: @ozgurlukistiyoruzkampanya
Tags: human rights, media, lgbti
