Amnesty International raised concerns Friday over an absolute blanket ban by the Turkish government on all protests in the capital Ankara ahead of the NATO summit that is to be held in the city this coming week. The statement also decried the pretrial detention of more than 100 people, including lawyers, academics and activists.
Amnesty described the measures as “excessive” and constituting an attack on the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
The Ankara governorate issued a statement June 22, announcing the special security measures ahead of the NATO summit, which will be held July 7-8. The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s office announced June 25 that 225 people had been detained under the measures, with 135 referred to court with requests for pre-trial detention. The statement said those arrested were linked to ISIS and leftist groups.
Human Rights Watch also reacted on Friday to the development, saying the wave of arrests “highlights Türkiye’s ruthless intolerance of freedom of speech and assembly.”
The Turkish authorities have justified the protest ban and mass detentions as necessary measures to ensure public order ahead of the NATO summit and to counter alleged terrorist threats. However, human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, argue that these measures constitute disproportionate restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
