12/09/2026 | Writer: Kaos GL
Turkish authorities have blocked access to dozens of LGBTQ+ websites and social media accounts in a sweeping digital crackdown. The bans, ordered over the weekend, coincided exactly with the 46th anniversary of the country's 1980 military coup.
Photo: İzmir Pride, 2022
Dozens of civil society organisations, news portals, journalists, and human rights defenders found their online platforms abruptly restricted following a ruling by the Istanbul 7th Criminal Peace Judgeship on Saturday, September 12.
Activists and human rights defenders were quick to highlight the unusual timing of the court order—issued outside standard judicial working hours on a weekend—and the bitter historical resonance of the date.
Echoes of the 1980 Coup
For international observers and local activists alike, the date of the ban carries heavy symbolism. The September 12, 1980 military coup ushered in a period of severe repression in Turkey, which included widespread persecution of minority groups and strict stage bans for LGBTQ+ performers and artists.
Today's activists have drawn direct parallels between the martial law of the 1980s and what they describe as a modern "digital coup" against the LGBTQ+ community.
The move follows a similar wave of digital censorship earlier this year during Pride Month, when numerous LGBTQ+ activists and associations had their social media accounts blocked. Those earlier bans were largely attributed to a controversial cyber-policing practice known in Turkey as "Virtual Patrol" (Sanal Devriye).
The 'Virtual Patrol' Controversy
The legal mechanism behind these crackdowns has been a subject of intense judicial dispute in Turkey. In 2017, an amendment to the Police Duties and Powers Law granted law enforcement the authority to conduct "virtual patrols"—allowing police to routinely monitor the internet and access subscriber data to identify potential crimes.
However, Turkey's Constitutional Court struck down this provision in February 2020. The supreme court ruled that allowing police to conduct general, untargeted surveillance of the internet without a prosecutor's explicit directive violated the constitution. The court emphasised that the practice was incompatible with a democratic society and breached fundamental protections regarding personal data and privacy.
Despite the 2020 supreme court ruling, human rights advocates argue that de facto "virtual patrols" continue to be heavily utilized to monitor and silence marginalized groups.
Organisations and Public Figures Targeted
The scope of Saturday's ban is extensive, striking at the heart of Turkey’s LGBTQ+ civil society.
Among the websites blocked are those of long-standing human rights organisations such as Kaos GL, 17 Mayıs, Pembe Hayat (Pink Life), SPoD, Lambdaistanbul, and Genç LGBTİ+, alongside news portals like ÜniKuir and velvele.net.
Individual social media accounts were also heavily targeted. According to the Freedom of Expression Association (İFÖD), the blocked accounts belong to prominent figures including journalist and Kaos GL editor-in-chief Yıldız Tar, human rights lawyer Levent Pişkin, transgender rights activist and actor Seyhan Arman, theatre actor Zeynep Esmeray Özadikti, and youth rights defender Enes Hocaoğulları.
Tech Platforms Diverge on Compliance
The enforcement of the court orders has varied across major international tech platforms.
X (formerly Twitter) has largely complied with the Turkish court's directive, restricting access to the targeted accounts for users within Turkey. Among the accounts now invisible to Turkish X users are official LGBTQ+ student clubs from top-tier universities like Boğaziçi and Bilkent, as well as the Sexual Education Treatment and Research Association (CETAD) and regional groups like Queer Adana and the Izmir Pride Committee.
Conversely, Meta's Instagram has not yet implemented the blocking orders. At the time of reporting, the Instagram accounts of targeted associations, university clubs, and high-profile activists remain accessible within the country, though they remain listed on the court's censorship order.
Tags: human rights, media
