Police detain over 50 people in crackdown on Istanbul Pride march

Istanbul Pride has been banned since 2015

A person is detained by Turkish police officers as he tries to gather with others to celebrate the annual LGBTQ+ Pride March, in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, June 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Dilara Acikgoz) (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Turkish authorities detained more than 50 individuals attempting to participate in Istanbul Pride on Sunday, as a decade-long crackdown on the LGBTQ+ event continued.

A significant police presence was deployed across key areas of Istanbul, effectively preventing large gatherings and forcing organisers to repeatedly alter the planned assembly points for the annual march.

Yildiz Tar, editor-in-chief of the LGBTQ+ rights organization and the journal Kaos GL, wrote on X that 54 people were detained at Istanbul Pride, including six lawyers. As of Sunday evening, seven had been released and 47 were still in detention.

A person is detained by Turkish police officers during the annual LGBTQ+ Pride March, in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, June 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Dilara Acikgoz) (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

The Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey, or DISK, announced that at least three journalists were among the detained.

“The palace regime will not be able to stay in power by demonizing the LGBTQ community,” said Kezban Konukcu, Member of Parliament from the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party, or DEM, who participated in the event.

Once boasting tens of thousands of participants, Istanbul Pride has been banned since 2015 as the religious conservative Justice and Development Party began playing up to the more conservative elements of its base.