TURKEY: New LGBT Regulation & more – 21st Oct 2025

Merhaba from Keswick Village! This is the Rorshok Turkey Update from the 21st of October twenty twenty-five. A quick summary of what's going down in Turkey.

Kicking off this episode, on Tuesday the 15th, the government revealed a draft legislation that would criminalize behavior deemed contrary to biological sex and public morality. Under the proposal, individuals who publicly encourage, praise or express gender identities or behaviors outside traditional norms would face one to three years imprisonment. Same-sex wedding ceremonies and certain media content might also be targeted.

Human rights groups warn this would be the most sweeping anti-LGBTQ+ legal change in Turkey’s history. The draft has sparked large online debate and protests by civil society groups, with critics saying it signals a major rollback of rights and broadening of state control over personal identity and expression.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday the 16th, President Erdoğan publicly rejected allegations that Turkey planned to hand over control of its vast rare-earth element or REE reserves in the midwestern Eskişehir-region Beylikova deposit to foreign firms. He insisted the field “will never be given to any country” and defended the government’s strategy of domestic development.

The deposit is considered among the world’s largest, and ongoing technology-transfer talks with the U.S. and other Western countries underlined Turkey’s ambition to become a global REE player.

The remarks triggered strong reactions on Twitter and investor forums, as Turkey positions itself at the intersection of geopolitics, critical materials and industrial strategy.

On Monday the 20th, Ekrem İmamoğlu, the jailed İstanbul mayor from the main opposition Republican People’s Party or CHP and the party’s presidential candidate, appeared for the second hearing in his diploma case. Prosecutors accuse him of forging his university diploma, a charge that could bring up to nine years in prison.

Before the hearing, officials assigned a smaller courtroom, leaving many journalists, lawyers, and CHP members outside. A scuffle broke out with security, and one person fainted. Many of İmamoğlu’s lawyers couldn’t enter, so they boycotted the session in protest. CHP leaders called the setup an attack on legal and press freedoms.

The judge later moved the trial to a larger room, but after long delays, postponed it to the 8th of December.

In other news, on Monday the 20th, Turkish and Syrian senior officials agreed on a new security coordination framework that could deepen Turkish defense involvement inside Syria.

According to senior Syrian sources, the pact envisages Turkey supplying Syria with armored vehicles, drones, artillery and air-defense systems, and aims to expand Turkish cross-border operations against Kurdish armed factions from three miles (five kilometers) to nineteen miles (thirty kilometers) inside Syria.

The diplomacy and security deal has spurred heated discussion online: supporters view it as Turkey securing its borders, while critics warn it may entangle Turkey further in the Syrian conflict.

The agreement will likely shape Turkey’s regional posture for years to come.

On Thursday the 17th, Turkey’s State Deposit Guarantee Fund seized over 1,000 companies in a sweeping anti-corruption drive. Authorities said the operation targeted financial irregularities, though critics argue it was politically motivated to favor pro-government companies ahead of the twenty twenty-eight elections. Since many of the companies are in banking, construction, and real estate, this raised concerns about growing state control over private enterprises and the security of property rights.

Supporters said the action strengthens transparency and fights corruption, while analysts warned it highlights tensions between government control and private enterprise.

Speaking of financial oversight, on Tuesday the 15th, the police arrested Emrah Şener, the former central bank deputy governor, over alleged irregularities in public tenders handled by the Interbank Card Center. Prosecutors suspect bid manipulation, fraud, and embezzlement of more than 100 million lira, about 2.4 million dollars. Şener denies involvement, and investigators are examining whether other senior officials were implicated.

Experts warn the case could impact public trust in financial institutions and investor confidence. The investigation continues, with authorities expected to release further details in the coming weeks.

In environmental news, Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party advanced a bill on Wednesday the 16th, allowing hotel construction inside national parks.

Environmentalists warned it could lead to commercialization, habitat destruction, and long-term ecosystem damage. Supporters argue the law would boost tourism, create jobs, and strengthen rural economies.

National parks in Turkey are home to diverse wildlife and attract millions of visitors each year, making the proposal controversial. Lawmakers are preparing to vote while public debate continues, reflecting the ongoing tension between economic development and environmental preservation.

Turning to international news, on Friday the 18th, authorities appointed Mehmet Güllüoğlu, former head of Turkey’s disaster management agency, to coordinate humanitarian aid to Gaza. Following a ceasefire agreement involving the U.S., Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, the government plans to deliver medical supplies, food, and infrastructure support to communities affected by months of conflict.

Analysts note that Turkey’s role boosts its regional influence and demonstrates both humanitarian and diplomatic commitment. Güllüoğlu’s experience in disaster response is expected to streamline operations, helping stabilize the region while strengthening Turkey’s position as a mediator in Middle Eastern affairs.

On Thursday the 17th, Johann Wadephul, Germany’s Foreign Minister, traveled to Ankara for his first official visit to Turkey, meeting with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan and other senior officials. Germany described Turkey as a key strategic partner within NATO and said discussions would cover developments in the Middle East, the Gaza cease-fire, Syria’s political transition, and Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The visit raised expectations of deepening defense and security cooperation between Turkey and Germany.

On Monday the 20th, the United States announced new export controls and sanctions designations targeting Atempo, a Turkish contractor  that had supplied audiovisual and automation systems to the presidential palace. U.S. authorities accused the firm of diverting U.S.-origin dual-use technology to Russia. The move triggered discussion in Turkey’s business and technology sectors about the growing risk of Western export controls and sanctions on Turkish companies linked to defense or government contracts.

On another note, on Sunday the 19th, Osman Kavala, a philanthropist and businessman who has been in prison for the last eight years, said lawmakers no longer have permission to visit him. Responding to Deutsche Welle Turkish’s questions in writing, Kavala explained that he follows the news through television and newspapers, but recent rules cut off visits from parliament members who used to update him on public affairs.

He is serving a life sentence for allegedly trying to overthrow the government during the twenty thirteen Gezi Park protests against the government. He was first detained in twenty seventeen and later accused of espionage after his initial acquittal. Rights groups say the charges are politically motivated.

Kavala said the judiciary has turned arbitrary and that detentions without cause have become a normal practice. He remains hopeful, believing most citizens want judicial reform.

And to close this edition, on Sunday the 19th, Northern Cyprus held presidential elections, drawing strong attention in Turkey as a measure of Turkey's influence. Cyprus has been divided since nineteen seventy-four, when Turkey sent troops following a coup backed by Greece. The northern part is run by Turkish Cypriots and recognized only by Turkey, while the south is the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus and part of the European Union.

Tufan Erhürman, leader of the Republican Turkish Party, won with over 60% of the vote, defeating Ersin Tatar, who supports Turkey’s two-state plan. Erhürman wants to restart United Nations-led reunification talks under a federal system and believes this approach can boost the Turkish Cypriots’ economic and political independence.

President Erdoğan congratulated him, and other Turkish leaders said the result shows the Turkish Cypriots want more say in their future while staying close to Turkey.

Aaand that’s it for this week! Thank you for joining us!

This past Saturday, we held a trial of a new kind of gathering. Highly structured but radically equal, very wild. No keynote speakers, no talking heads. Those who join decide who they talk to, but without knowing the identity of who they will meet, they propose and decide what they will discuss. Like we said. Wild, interested in what it was, check the show notes and if you’re interested, we can help you hold one in Turkey.

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