Turkey detains six human rights defenders ahead of NATO

Six Turkish human rights defenders remain detained after mass raids ahead of the NATO summit, facing trial solely for peaceful advocacy. Ankara authorities launched a large-scale operation on 23 June 2026, detaining at least 225 people and imposing a 13-day ban on public assemblies.

The operation was launched by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office ahead of the NATO Summit scheduled for 7 and 8 July 2026. The Ankara Governorate announced a province-wide ban on all public assemblies from 28 June until 10 July 2026. Among those detained were 16 members of the Human Rights Association (İHD).

Charges and detention based on peaceful activism

At least 178 people, including human rights defenders, journalists, and lawyers, were remanded in custody on charges of membership in an armed illegal organisation. Thirty-four others were placed under house arrest. Of the 16 detained İHD members, two were released immediately. Fourteen were remanded in custody on 25 and 26 June 2026 within the scope of two separate investigations. Eight of those were later released.

Six İHD members remain in detention and have been committed for trial: Mert Ahmet Aldemir, Zehra Camcı, Hale Nur Çetin, Emirhan Gedik, Tuğba Kahraman and Şevin Özden. The prosecution relies on speculative assertions that the six could carry out terrorist acts with the intention of having the Republic of Türkiye associated with terrorism. The indictments fail to present concrete evidence that the detained members committed or encouraged any act of violence. They also fail to show the defendants acted within the hierarchical structure of an illegal organisation. Instead, their participation in peaceful assemblies, demonstrations, public activities, and human rights advocacy work is presented as evidence supporting the charges.

Upcoming court hearings and international legal obligations

The six detained İHD members are due to appear in Ankara high criminal courts in September and October 2026. Tuğba Kahraman, Hale Nur Çetin, Mert Ahmet Aldemir and Şevin Özden are due to appear before the Ankara 4th High Criminal Court for the first time on 29 September 2026. Emirhan Gedik and Zehra Camcı are due to appear before the Ankara 2nd High Criminal Court on 2 October 2026.

Turkey is a State Party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and has ratified the European Convention on Human Rights. It is bound to guarantee the right to liberty and security, the prohibition of arbitrary detention, and the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association. The European Court of Human Rights has repeatedly found Turkey in violation of these obligations in cases involving prosecution and arbitrary detention of human rights defenders, journalists, and civil society actors on terrorism-related charges. The detention of the six human rights defenders solely on the basis of their peaceful and legitimate activities is in breach of Turkey’s international obligations.

International condemnation and calls for release

The detention runs counter to the 1998 UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. A coalition of international and regional organisations has urged Turkish authorities to immediately and unconditionally release the six İHD members. The signatories call on Turkey to guarantee that human rights defenders, lawyers, and journalists can carry out their legitimate work without fear of judicial harassment, reprisals, or intimidation. They further call for an end to all forms of criminalisation of human rights defenders’ activities.

The signatory organisations include the Afghanistan Democracy and Development Organization, Asociación Memoria y Justicia por Nicaragua, Cambodian Center for Human Rights, CIVICUS, Civil Society and Human Rights Network, Comité Cerezo México, Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms, Ethiopian Human Rights Defenders Center, Fundación Cristosal, Gulf Centre for Human Rights, Human Rights Association (IHD), Human Rights Center 'Viasna', International Federation for Human Rights, Intersection Association for Rights and Freedoms, Ligue Tunisienne des Droits de l’Homme, Réseau des Défenseurs des Droits Humains en Afrique Centrale, The Collective of Sahrawi Human Rights Defenders in Western Sahara, The Independent Medico-Legal Unit, and the World Organisation Against Torture. A report detailing these events was issued from Geneva-Paris on 28 September 2026, coinciding with the impending first hearings. Tuğba Kahraman, Hale Nur Çetin, Mert Ahmet Aldemir and Şevin Özden are due to appear before the Ankara 4th High Criminal Court for the first time on 29 September 2026.