Turkey Cracks Down: 225 Arrested Before NATO Summit as Opposition Fights ‘Occupation’
Turkey has arrested 225 people, including activists, journalists, and environmentalists, ahead of a major NATO summit in Ankara, sparking a fierce backlash from the opposition, who vow to resist what they call an "occupation" of their party and the country’s democratic space.
Turkish authorities arrested 225 people, including human rights and environmental activists and journalists, ahead of a major NATO summit in Ankara, under a strict ban on public gatherings [186369]. Prosecutors have also requested the arrest of 75 detainees, including members of the TEMA Foundation, Associate Professor Emel Memiş, and journalist Yıldız Tar, editor-in-chief of KaosGL [181644]. The suspects were referred to a criminal judgeship of peace after giving statements, though charges have not yet been specified [181644]. Meanwhile, the Ankara Medical Chamber announced that medical examination periods have been extended to 20 minutes as part of summit preparations [181662].
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in a Cabinet meeting address, avoided commenting on the arrests or security measures, instead criticizing political rivals and warning the opposition not to exploit Alevi identity for political gain during the holy month of Muharram [186395]. In response, Özgür Özel, parliamentary group leader for the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), pledged to fight what he called an "occupation" of his party. “If this occupation does not end, we will not leave this nation without options,” Özel said, condemning the arrests and highlighting the cases of Rojin Kabaiş and Gülistan Doku [186397].
Saadet Party Chairman Mahmut Arıkan also criticized the security measures, asking: “You have traveled to the US many times. How many parks were closed when you went? How many people were arrested days in advance? Let us tell you: ‘Zero’” [186390]. International media has highlighted human rights violations, restrictions on press freedom, and Türkiye’s diplomatic maneuvers overshadowing the summit [186392].