02/06/2026 | Writer: Yıldız Tar
According to a briefing note sent to ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) lawmakers and obtained by Kaos GL, anti-LGBTI+ legal regulations—previously scrapped from the 10th and 11th Judicial Packages due to public backlash—are now slated for inclusion in Türkiye's upcoming 12th Judicial Package.
Restrictive measures targeting the LGBTI+ community, which were repeatedly postponed following significant social opposition, have firmly returned to the government’s legislative agenda.
Sources accessed by KaosGL.org indicate that senior AKP deputies recently received a comprehensive briefing regarding the new judicial package, which is expected to be brought before the Turkish Parliament in June. The proposed legislation reportedly includes articles that effectively criminalize LGBTI+ individuals and significantly restrict access to gender-affirming care, including raising the minimum age for gender confirmation surgeries to 25.
Age limit for gender affirmation raised to 25 amid new penalties
According to the briefing note, the judicial package will redefine the "conditions for applying for and undergoing a gender transition." The draft proposes not only raising the age limit for these procedures from 18 to 25 but also introducing a strict new prerequisite requiring applicants to be childless, adding to the existing mandate that they remain unmarried.
Furthermore, Health Board reports required for gender-affirming surgeries will exclusively be issued by fully equipped training and research hospitals designated by the Ministry of Health. These reports will only be granted following four separate evaluations conducted at intervals of at least three months. The evaluations will also mandate an assessment explicitly confirming that the individual is "permanently deprived of reproductive capacity."
According to AKP insiders, the government also plans to codify "unlawful gender transition" as a distinct criminal offense within the Turkish Penal Code. Physicians performing medical interventions that fail to comply with these stringent new restrictions will face prison sentences ranging from three to seven years, while individuals undergoing such procedures could face one to three years in prison. Penalties will be doubled if the medical intervention is performed "on a minor or by an unauthorized person."
Prison sentences proposed for LGBTI+ individuals and rights defenders
Another sweeping regulation proposed in the 12th Judicial Package aims to effectively criminalize the existence, freedom of expression, and freedom of assembly of LGBTI+ individuals, as well as the defense of LGBTI+ rights.
The briefing notes state that, "to prevent attacks against the general morality and values of society," the penalty for the crime of "indecent acts" will be increased from the current range of six months to one year in prison, to a harsher sentence of one to three years.
The new legislation will introduce a broadly worded offense defined as: "publicly exhibiting, encouraging, praising, or promoting attitudes and behaviors contrary to innate biological sex in a manner contrary to general morality, with the aim of more effectively combating gender-neutralizing trends." Rights groups warn this law threatens to penalize LGBTI+ individuals with one to three years in prison simply for openly acknowledging their identities.
Additionally, the draft stipulates prison sentences ranging from one year and six months to four years for individuals participating in same-sex engagement or marriage ceremonies.
Background
Anti-LGBTI+ regulations previously surfaced in the 10th Judicial Package in March of last year, and subsequently in the 11th Judicial Package in October. On both occasions, they were removed from the drafts following intense pushback from LGBTI+ associations and the broader public.
In February 2026, pro-government media outlets reported that the discarded regulations would eventually resurface in the 12th Judicial Package. Confirming the government's stance, Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek previously stated:
"We will also fight against those who corrupt the general morality of our children, encourage genderlessness, and direct them toward deviant movements. Our colleagues have technically begun the preparations. We are considering implementing these in the 12th Judicial Package."
Tags: human rights, media, life
