Turkey bans cruise ship with LGBT tourists from docking due to moral standards
Police conducted raids at establishments in Istanbul that were mentioned in the cruise's promotional brochures.
Turkish authorities have banned an American cruise ship carrying LGBT tourists from entering the country's ports, reports CNN.
Officials revoked the docking permit for the vessel Scarlet Lady in Kusadasi and Istanbul, citing the protection of "family values" and "moral standards." The administration stated that the behavior of passengers from the US is incompatible with the traditional way of life of Turkish society and its values.
As a result of this decision, organizers from the company Atlantis Events altered the route of the ten-day tour, replacing the Turkish cities with stops in Egypt and on the island of Crete. Company head Rich Campbell called the authorities' actions "stunning" and expressed outrage that the state selects tourists based on their lifestyle.
According to Campbell, approximately 1,100 of the 1,900 expected passengers on the cruise ship are from the United States. The remaining travelers are from the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and other countries.
In Istanbul, police have already conducted raids at establishments mentioned in the cruise's promotional brochures. Over the past ten years, Turkey's ruling party has intensified its rhetoric against the LGBT community, banning gay pride parades in the interest of public safety.
As the UOJ reported, Belarus adopted a bill banning LGBT and childfree propaganda.
