Turkey Intensifies Crackdown on LGBTQ+ Rights

A Controversial Bill Backed by the Ruling Coalition

The Turkish government, led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is preparing to introduce a sweeping new bill aimed at limiting the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals. This initiative is part of the state’s “Year of the Family” campaign, launched in January 2025. The proposal, submitted in April by the Islamist-conservative party HÜDAPAR—a junior member of the governing coalition—is intended for integration into Turkey’s 11th Judicial Reform Package, currently under parliamentary review.

Criminalizing LGBTQ+ Identity and Public Expression

According to Turkish media, the upcoming legislation could make any public expression of LGBTQ+ identity a criminal offense, with prison sentences for those accused of “promoting homosexuality.” The bill also includes tighter regulations on gender confirmation procedures.

Anyone openly identifying as LGBTQ+ or exhibiting gender-nonconforming behavior could face imprisonment ranging from one to three years. Same-sex couples participating in engagement or marriage ceremonies may receive prison terms from 18 months to four years, with each partner prosecuted separately.

Penalties for public indecency or sexual activity would also increase, with sentences rising from the current six months to one year, up to a maximum of three years. Article 225 of the Turkish Penal Code, which addresses acts deemed “immoral,” would be expanded to include LGBTQ+-related behaviors and speech. This expansion would target activists, organizations, and journalists advocating for LGBTQ+ rights.

Stricter Restrictions on Gender Transition Access

The bill places severe limitations on transgender individuals. The minimum age for gender-affirming surgery would increase from 18 to 25. Candidates would be required to remain single, pass medical evaluations from approved hospitals, and attend four medical consultations spaced at least three months apart. Even hormone therapy would demand a court authorization.

Any medical transition performed outside this strict legal framework would result in prison sentences of three to seven years. In cases involving minors or the absence of proper legal documents, penalties could double. Trans individuals who have undergone unauthorized transitions could be prosecuted and sentenced to one to three years in prison.

Exceptions may be contemplated for individuals with confirmed genetic or hormonal conditions. Nonetheless, the proposed legal structure would render gender transitions nearly unattainable, criminalizing both patients and healthcare providers.

Part of a Broader Repressive Trend

This legislative effort aligns with an increasingly authoritarian pattern seen in Turkey over recent years. Since 2014, Pride marches have been repeatedly banned, public displays of homophobia have grown, and various cultural works depicting LGBTQ+ narratives—such as Luca Guadagnino’s film Queer—have been censored during major festivals.

The Turkish government defends these actions as necessary for the “protection of family values,” the “healthy development” of citizens, and the preservation of “social order”—rhetoric that particularly resonates with Erdoğan’s conservative voter base.

Mounting International Condemnation

Human rights organizations, including ILGA-Europe, have strongly condemned the proposed law as a severe threat to civil liberties. Critics argue that it represents a direct assault on freedom of speech, human dignity, and LGBTQ+ individuals’ right to healthcare and self-determination.

According to ILGA-Europe’s most recent rankings, Turkey ranks 47th out of 49 European countries in terms of LGBTQ+ rights protections—one of the lowest scores on the continent.

Although the draft has yet to be officially submitted to Parliament, leaked drafts and investigative reports already reveal the extensive scope of the restrictions under consideration—especially against transgender people and same-sex couples.

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