Ansari, Titus Lead 65 House Democrats in Demanding Trump Admin Confront Turkey’s Anti-LGBTQI+ Crackdown

WASHINGTON – Today, Representatives Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03) and Dina Titus (NV-01) led 65 House Democrats, including House Foreign Affairs Ranking Member Gregory Meeks and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, in urging Secretary of State Marco Rubio to confront Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Turkish government over its escalating campaign of repression against LGBTQI+ people, human rights organizations, and advocates. “The United States must be a leader in defending human rights and what is happening in Turkey demands an urgent diplomatic response. It’s absolutely appalling to see LGBTQI+ people and the organizations that stand up for their rights be targeted by the Erdogan regime,” said Rep. Ansari. “I stand proudly with the LGBTQI+ community here and abroad and will continue to fight for their right to live openly, freely, and without fear, anywhere and everywhere.” The lawmakers’ letter follows a nationwide operation in which Turkish authorities have detained hundreds of people since September 12, raided the offices of longstanding HIV and LGBTQI+ civil society organizations, restricted access to websites and social media accounts, pursued the dissolution of human rights associations, and arrested organizational leaders and staff on spurious charges. At least 150 people protesting the crackdown have also been detained. “Turkey’s crackdown on LGBTQI groups and individuals is disgraceful. No person should suffer from discrimination because of who they are or whom they love,” said Rep. Titus, who co-led the letter. “The Trump Administration must restore the United States’s role in promoting LGBTQI rights around the world and punishing regimes like Turkey that persecute people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. My GLOBE Act does just that.” The letter is endorsed by the Human Rights Campaign, the Council for Global Equality, and the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. “Turkey’s attacks on its LGBTQI+ community are a disturbing reminder that the fight for equality and human rights does not stop at our borders. No one should be silenced or detained for simply being who they are or peacefully demanding dignity and freedom. We are grateful to Representatives Ansari and Titus for recognizing that the fight for LGBTQI+ equality is global and that, even amid the many challenges facing our community here at home, we cannot turn our backs on LGBTQI+ people facing persecution abroad,” said Jennifer Pike Bailey, Senior Director of Government Affairs, Human Rights Campaign. “LGBTQ+ people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, no matter where they live. Every person should have the freedom to live as their authentic self without fear, stigma, or discrimination. No one should be detained for simply advocating for the human rights and dignity of LGBTQ+ people. We are thankful for Rep. Ansari, Rep. Titus, and their colleagues for urging the State Department to stand up against Turkiye’s attack on health, safety, and basic human rights,” said Caitlin Horrigan, senior director of global advocacy, Planned Parenthood Federation of America. “Türkiye’s escalating crackdown on LGBTQI+ people and civil society organizations is a direct assault on equality, democracy, and the rule of law,” said Mark Bromley, Co-Chair of the Council for Global Equality. “We are grateful to Representatives Ansari and Titus for their leadership in calling on the U.S. Department of State to stand up for the human rights of all people. Secretary Rubio should use every diplomatic tool available to press for the release of those detained and defend the fundamental freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly. Human rights are not conditional on who we are, whom we love, or where we live, and the United States should make it clear that no one, no matter their sexual orientation or gender identity, will be abandoned when they are under attack.” “The Erdogan government’s targeted campaign against the LGBTQI+ community and human rights defenders in Turkey is a violation of the core human rights to freedom of expression and association and a disregard for basic human dignity,” said Rep. Mark Takano, Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus. “Congressional Equality Caucus members Ansari and Titus know the United States can and should do more to protect Turkish people’s freedoms from the human rights violations by the Erdogan government. I’m thankful for their work to put pressure on the State Department to respond to these human rights violations by working to free the wrongfully detained human rights defenders, pressing Turkey to cease efforts to criminalize LGBTQI+ organizations and advocacy, and ensuring human rights are integrated into all bilateral engagements.” Ansari’s letter is co-signed by Representatives Gabe Amo (RI-01), Becca Balint (VT), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Wesley Bell (MO-01), Everton Blair, Jr. (GA-13), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Angie Craig (MN-02), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Danny Davis (IL-07), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Lois Frankel (FL-22), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Daniel Goldman (NY-10), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Julie Johnson (TX-32), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), William Keating (MA-09), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Greg Landsman (OH-01), John Larson (CT-01), Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM-03), Sam Liccardo (CA-16), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Sarah McBride (DE), James McGovern (MA-02), Gregory Meeks (NY-05), Grace Meng (NY-06), Jared Moskowitz (FL-23), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Eleanor Norton (DC), Chris Pappas (NH-01), Nancy Pelosi (CA-11), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Emily Randall (WA-06), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Janice Schakowsky (IL-09), Bradley Schneider (IL-10), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Greg Stanton (AZ-04), Haley Stevens (MI-11), Mark Takano (CA-39), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Dina Titus (NV-01), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Norma Torres (CA-35), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12). Read the letter HERE and below. Dear Secretary Rubio, We are writing to express grave concerns regarding President Erdogan and the Turkish government’s alarming campaign of repression against LGBTQI+ people, human rights organizations, and advocates in a recent nationwide operation. In recent years, we have witnessed an increasingly systematic effort to restrict the human rights and civic participation of LGBTQI+ people in Turkey. The Turkish government has invoked so-called “family values” and “public morality” to justify restrictions on freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly, while courts and prosecutors have increasingly relied on vague provisions concerning obscenity and public morality to target LGBTQI+ people, human rights defenders, civil society organizations, and journalists. Authorities have repeatedly banned and violently dispersed Pride gatherings, individuals have faced prosecution for defending human rights, and government officials have escalated anti-LGBTQI+ rhetoric. This latest crackdown represents a dangerous and significant escalation of that broader campaign. Since September 12, 2026, Turkish authorities have detained hundreds of people, raided the offices of longstanding and trusted HIV and LGBTQI+ civil society organizations, restricted access to websites and social media accounts, and pursued dissolution proceedings against human rights associations. Leadership and staff of LGBTQI+ human rights organizations have been arrested under spurious charges. In addition, Turkish authorities recently detained at least 150 people who were protesting this most recent anti-LGBTQI+ crackdown. Together, these developments mark a dangerous new phase in the Erdogan regime’s efforts to use criminal law and the state apparatus to suppress legitimate human rights advocacy on behalf of the LGBTQI+ community. The Turkish government’s actions directly violate international human rights frameworks to which Turkey is a signatory, including the European Convention on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which the United States is party. They also are an affront to basic human dignity and the values expected of a fellow NATO member, an alliance founded on shared democratic principles, including individual liberty, human freedom, and the right to peaceful assembly. These developments warrant an urgent diplomatic response from the United States to protect the rights of freedom of expression, association, and assembly for all Turkish citizens, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. We therefore urge you to use all available channels to raise these concerns directly with the Turkish government; press for the immediate release of those arrested and detained for their legitimate human rights activities; and ensure that the U.S. Embassy in Ankara closely monitors related judicial proceedings. We further urge the Department to press Turkish authorities to cease efforts to criminalize LGBTQI+ organizations and advocacy and to affirm the right of all people to peacefully assemble. We also request an update on the Department’s broader strategy for addressing human rights with the Turkish government. While the current crackdown on LGBTQI+ people and civil society demands urgent attention, it must be seen as part of a broader pattern of human rights violations and democratic backsliding in Turkey. We urge the Department to ensure that human rights are meaningfully integrated into all bilateral engagements and request a clear explanation of how the Department intends to do so. Defending the rights of LGBTQI+ individuals around the globe is imperative for international peace and stability, the flourishing of liberal democracy, and the protection of the rule of law. As you yourself have noted, “We should never, ever tolerate human rights violations against any person for their political views, their religious beliefs, or their sexual orientation.” The United States must hold true to that principle in its engagement with the Turkish government. Thank you for your attention to this critical matter. We look forward to your prompt response no later than October 30, 2026. Sincerely, Yassamin Ansari Member of Congress Follow @RepYassAnsari on all social media platforms and visit Ansari.House.gov to learn more. ### Print Email Share