RTÜK and BTK Officials Launch Anti-LGBTI+ Campaign Amid “Year of Family” Declaration

On March 6, representatives from Turkey’s Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) and the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) stirred controversy during a presentation to the Parliamentary Commission on Child Abuse and Violence. The officials’ comments included strong anti-LGBTI+ rhetoric, which garnered significant attention.

According to Sözcü Daily, RTÜK Vice President Feyzullah Tecirli emphasized the government’s commitment to the “Year of the Family” in 2025, which he stated would also be focused on combating LGBT-related content. Tecirli remarked, “Rather than censorship, we are supporting family- and child-friendly initiatives,” making it clear that the fight against LGBTI+ representation would be a core element of the agenda.

BTK Vice President Abdülkerim Gün echoed these sentiments, noting that BTK’s efforts to provide safe internet services for children would prioritize the exclusion of LGBTI+ content. He further mentioned that the agency was “in legal battles with several associations” to uphold this stance.

This rhetoric comes amidst President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's declaration of 2025 as the “Year of Family,” a move that aligns with his continued focus on “family and national values” and the intensification of hate speech against the LGBTI+ community by several government officials.

In addition, a draft law proposal has surfaced that suggests the criminalization of public expressions of LGBTI+ identities and further restrictions on gender-affirming procedures—measures that could drastically alter the legal landscape for the community in Turkey.