tgeu.org

Trans women and trans sex workers are being arrested, prosecuted and held in degrading conditions in Türkiye. Since 12 September, the ‘My Family Is Safe’ operation has escalated into a sweeping crackdown on LGBTI communities and civil society, through raids, arrests and prolonged detention.

We are delighted to introduce the inspiring Trans Leaders Academy Cohort 2026–27. Over the coming year, the 16 leaders will take part in virtual and in-person trainings and peer exchange sessions. To further strengthen their practice, they will also have the opportunity to join the Spring Leadership Kitchen Series, a six-month coaching space made possible through a partnership between TGEU and Spring.

More than two months after tens of thousands of people crossed from Morocco into Ceuta, many remain in precarious conditions, with inadequate access to shelter, essential services and international protection. Among them are trans asylum applicants who have fled persecution, only to face further violence, insecurity and the threat of being returned to danger.

Since 12 September 2026, Turkish authorities have intensified a nationwide crackdown on LGBTI people, organisations and human rights defenders. At least 117 people have reportedly been detained, with at least 83 held in pre-trial detention. The operation, branded “My Family is Safe” has involved arrests, raids on homes and organisations, digital restrictions, and the use of ‘public-morality’ and ‘obscenity’ provisions under Turkish criminal law.

As part of our Peer Networking Zone (PeerNetz), TGEU is hosting a meeting to explore healthcare designed by and for trans people, rooted in community knowledge and care. We’ll be joined by Trans Healthcare Action, the organisation behind Kindred, Ireland’s first peer-led trans health clinic. The session will be interactive, with practical exercises and space to explore how Kindred’s experience and lessons could translate to different contexts across Europe and Central Asia.

We, the undersigned organisations, condemn the large-scale police raids and detentions targeting LGBTI activists and human rights defenders, organisations and community spaces across Türkiye. We call for the immediate protection and release of those detained, and respect for their procedural rights. We also call for an end to any measures obstructing the fundamental rights to freedom of association and assembly and for the respect of human rights principles and the rule of law in Türkiye.

TGEU was proud to contribute to the 26th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2026) in Rio de Janeiro, to help shape global conversations on the future of HIV prevention and the health of trans communities. At the conference, our HIV Research & Advocacy Officer, Amanita Calderón-Cifuentes (she/her), delivered a keynote at the plenary, ‘The Future of HIV Prevention’.

TGEU is looking for a full-time (100%, 40 hours per week) Operations Officer starting in September 2026. The Operations Officer will be responsible for providing administrative and financial services in order to ensure effective and accurate operations of the organisation in compliance with German and funder regulations for an initial period of 24 months with the possibility of extension. The place of work is Berlin, Germany.

The European Union’s newly finalised Return Regulation has officially passed, marking a catastrophic collapse of human rights protections for asylum seekers, especially those with intersectional vulnerabilities. TGEU warns that this legislation replaces international protection with aggressive deterrence, directly endangering the lives of trans asylum seekers. Trans people who flee to Europe are already running from systemic violence and criminalisation.

Applications are now open for the next edition of TGEU’s Trans Leaders Academy – our flagship leadership programme supporting trans leaders across the European Union. Leadership within our movements requires much more than responding to immediate challenges. Across Europe, trans leaders are navigating increasing hostility, shrinking civic space, limited resources, and growing demands on their organisations and communities.