Turkey arrests hundreds of activists, journalists and left-wing figures ahead of NATO summit in Ankara

Sweeping arrests across the country

Turkish authorities have detained more than 200 people in recent weeks, with at least 103 placed in pre-trial detention, according to multiple reports. The operations, which intensified on Sunday, targeted left-wing and socialist groups, labour unions, journalists and academics. State news agency Anadolu said 39 suspects were arrested in raids across eight provinces targeting the youth wing of the banned leftist organisation THKP/C-DEV YOL. A separate operation in Kocaeli province netted 28 people with alleged ties to the Islamic State and left-wing militant groups; police seized ammunition and banned digital materials.

Journalists and lawyers among those held

Among those taken into custody were Buse Sotuglu, editor-in-chief of the T24 online newspaper, and Ceren Erdogdu, a reporter for Oda TV. Both were arrested at their homes, their employers said. Ezgi Önalan, chairwoman of the Istanbul branch of the Association of Contemporary Lawyers (CHD), was also detained, and several of her clients were arrested simultaneously. Lawyer Erman Ozturk, representing Sotuglu, told AFP that the raids appeared designed to silence opposition.

The police operations are seemingly trying to intimidate democrats, leftists, and the press.

Protest ban and street clashes

A ban on all public gatherings, marches and protests has been in force across Ankara since 28 June. Despite the prohibition, the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) organised a demonstration against NATO in the capital on Sunday. Riot police used tear gas to disperse the crowd, and more than 100 people were arrested, the TKP said. A parallel protest in Istanbul passed without incident.

Opposition and rights groups condemn crackdown

Main opposition leader Özgür Özel called the arrests “shameful” and predicted the detainees would be freed once the summit ends.

These are preventive arrests, preventive detention. Everyone knows these people have committed no crime. Everyone knows they will be released as soon as Donald Trump leaves.

The Association of Contemporary Lawyers described the mass arrests as “political” and demanded an end to operations “meant to give NATO an idyllic image.” Reporters Without Borders condemned the measures as arbitrary, while the Turkish Journalists’ Association (TGC) and the CHD called for the immediate release of detained journalists, saying the arrests violate press freedom and aim to intimidate the opposition.

Summit backdrop

More than 30 heads of state and government from NATO’s 32 member countries are expected in Ankara on 7–8 July, including US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The government says the raids are part of counterterrorism investigations, but critics argue the real goal is to prevent any dissent during the high-profile gathering.