Turkey detains dozens of journalists and activists ahead of NATO summit
Turkish police have detained at least 67 people in raids across multiple provinces, targeting left-wing groups, journalists, and opposition figures just days before the NATO summit in Ankara.
Pre-summit security operations
Turkish authorities have intensified security measures ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara on 7–8 July. In the latest raids on 5 July, police detained at least 39 people across eight provinces, targeting the youth wing of the banned leftist group Revolutionary Path (DEV YOL). A separate operation in Kocaeli netted 28 suspects with alleged links to extremist groups, including Islamic State. The state-run Anadolu Agency reported that ammunition and banned digital materials were seized.
Who was arrested
Among those detained are journalists, academics, trade unionists, and members of opposition parties. Two directors of news portals T24 and Oda TV were arrested, according to Halk TV and Cumhuriyet. In Antalya, members of the Workers' Party of Turkey (TIP) and labour union leaders were taken into custody. In Izmir, five members of the Socialist Struggle Initiative were detained on charges of "activities against NATO." A local leader of the Labour Party (EMEP) and a youth member were also arrested in Kocaeli.
The arrests are a violation of press freedom and an attempt to intimidate opposition voices ahead of the NATO meeting.
Official justification and criticism
The government describes the raids as part of counter-terrorism investigations. Critics argue the operations are designed to prevent protests during the summit. The Contemporary Lawyers Association (ÇHD) reported that its Istanbul branch president, Ezgi Önalan, was detained in a pre-dawn raid, along with many of her clients. The ÇHD called the detentions "political operations aimed at presenting an idyllic picture to NATO."
These detentions are a shame. The authorities are making life difficult for their own people just because foreign leaders are attending the summit.
Broader pattern
The 5 July raids follow a wave of arrests in the preceding week. Turkish courts have placed 178 of more than 220 detainees in pre-trial detention as part of the security measures for the gathering of leaders from the 32 NATO member states. The crackdown has drawn condemnation from press freedom and legal groups, who see it as a systematic effort to silence dissent.
- Arrests begin; over 220 people detained in pre-summit security operations.
- Police raid 8 provinces, arrest 39 linked to DEV YOL; 28 more in Kocaeli for alleged extremist ties.
- NATO summit begins in Ankara.
