On 21 September 2026 the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office updated the section of its Turkey travel advice written for LGBT+ travellers. The page now states that Turkish authorities have carried out operations against LGBT+ organisations and activists across the country. The rest of the section stands as before: same-sex sexual activity is legal in Turkey, same-sex relationships have no legal recognition, the authorities have banned or dispersed Pride events since 2015, and public displays of affection can attract unwanted attention in socially conservative areas. The advice was still marked current on 2 October 2026.
Germany acted three days earlier. On 18 September 2026 the German Foreign Office added an LGBTIQ notice to its Turkey safety advice. It reports that action by the courts against people and organisations of the LGBTIQ community is intensifying, and that raids took place at LGBTIQ venues in fifteen provinces, among them Istanbul, Izmir, Ankara, Aydın and Mersin. Travellers are advised to follow the media for the current situation and to avoid demonstrations and large crowds. The same page notes that foreign nationals were among those arrested at unauthorised Pride events in 2025. Canada revised its Türkiye advice in full on 29 September 2026. It does not mention the raids, but it says that 2SLGBTQI+ protesters and activists have been arrested and that 2SLGBTQI+ travellers should carefully consider the risks of going. When we checked on 2 October 2026, the French, Dutch and Austrian advice for Turkey did not mention the raids.
The update follows the coordinated raids of 12 and 13 September 2026, which we reported on 16 September. The numbers have risen considerably since then. Human Rights Watch counted at least 112 people arrested in raids between 12 and 14 September, 82 of them held by court order as of 18 September. The targets included seven LGBT rights organisations, two groups supporting people living with HIV, and bars and nightclubs. According to Human Rights Watch the charges include obscenity, offences related to sex work and drugs, breaches of the law on associations, and membership of a criminal organisation.
The Turkish news site Medyascope put the number of people remanded in custody at no fewer than 81 on 17 September: 27 in Mersin, 20 in Istanbul, 16 in Izmir, 13 in Ankara and 5 in Aydın. Others were released under judicial supervision. On 15 September police also detained more than 100 people at a protest outside Istanbul's Çağlayan courthouse. Human Rights Watch reported that they were released after more than 24 hours.
What it means for travellers
None of the reports we read mentions foreign visitors among those detained, and the legal position of same-sex relations has not changed. Risk is greatest at public gatherings: the courthouse protest showed that a demonstration connected to this case can end in mass detentions, so stay away from rallies and marches about it.
We list LGBTQ+ venues in Istanbul and Izmir, among them Bigudi Club and Red Raw. The published reports do not say which businesses were searched, so we cannot tell whether any venue we list was among them. Before a night out, check the venue's own channels to see whether it is open. Our Turkey country page has the background on the law and on Pride in the country.
