Skip to main content
TrueQueer
NewsTravelCultureLifeOpinion Vibe CheckHistory WalksPlay
Quick exit
  • News
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Life
  • Opinion
  • Vibe Check
  • History Walks
  • Play
About Our Toolkit

Need to leave fast? Tap Quick exit or press Esc. The page goes blank and opens a weather search. It doesn’t erase your browser history, so use a private window for extra privacy.

Topic

#istanbul

5 stories

The large, curved, pale stone and glass facade of Istanbul's Çağlayan courthouse under a blue sky with white clouds, with a highway in front
Rights

Türkiye Wants to Shut Down SPoD, One of Istanbul's Oldest LGBTI+ Groups. The Hearing Is November 18

Istanbul prosecutors have asked a court to dissolve SPoD and jail four people linked to it for up to three years. It's the third LGBTI+ association targeted for closure in under two months. Here's what the indictment says and what happens next.

Nov 12, 2026 By TrueQueer
An older man in a white shirt reads a Turkish newspaper at a window table in a dim Istanbul café
Rights

Turkey Blocks T24, One of Its Biggest Independent News Sites, Over 'LGBT Propaganda'

An Istanbul court ordered T24's website and social media accounts shut, citing 118 pieces of content from the past year. It's the 'My Family Is Safe' crackdown's biggest media target yet, and journalists say the message is clear: covering LGBTQ+ lives is now treated as a crime.

Oct 2, 2026 By TrueQueer
Panoramic view of Istanbul's Galata Tower and skyline
Rights

Turkey's Widest LGBTQ+ Crackdown in Years Sweeps Up Activists, KAOS GL Leadership

Turkish police have detained more than 250 people since September 13 in raids on LGBTQ+ organizations, clubs, and homes under an operation the government calls 'My Family Is Safe.' Here's what's happening and why it matters.

Sep 19, 2026 By TrueQueer
The Istanbul skyline seen across the Golden Horn, with mosques and minarets on the hills
Rights

Turkey Raids LGBTQ+ Bars, Offices and Homes in Five Cities Before Dawn

Police moved simultaneously at around 1am on Sunday in Istanbul, Ankara, İzmir, Aydın and Mersin. The justice minister says 162 people are under investigation in an operation the state has named 'My Family Is Safe.'

Sep 13, 2026 By TrueQueer
A crowd of Pride marchers waving rainbow flags on a city street
News

Istanbul Pride Marched Anyway — and Police Detained More Than 50, Including Journalists and Lawyers

For the eleventh year running, authorities banned Istanbul Pride and locked down Taksim. Marchers turned out regardless. At least 50 people were detained on June 29, among them a journalist with a valid press card and six lawyers.

Jul 5, 2026 By TrueQueer
TrueQueer

TrueQueer is produced by Jeff & Zachary, a married gay couple traveling the world full-time since January 2022.

Real perspective. Global reach.

Sections

  • News
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Life
  • Opinion

Explore

  • Vibe Check
  • History Walks
  • Play
  • Our Toolkit

About

  • Our story
  • Affiliate disclosure
  • Privacy
  • RSS feed

Connect

  • Bluesky
  • Instagram
  • Facebook

Need to leave fast? Tap Quick exit or press Esc. The page goes blank and opens a weather search. It doesn’t erase your browser history, so use a private window for extra privacy.

© 2026 withJZ LLC. All rights reserved. Some links on this site are affiliate links. disclosure