Niha+ reporter Abbas Vural, who was detained following a raid on his residence in Kocaeli ahead of the NATO Summit, was brought to the Kocaeli Courthouse today after four days in police custody. Following his statement to the prosecutor, Vural was referred to court with a request for judicial control. The court released Vural under judicial supervision, imposing an international travel ban.
Abbas Vural
Niha+ reporter Abbas Vural, who was detained on July 5 following a raid on his residence in Kocaeli ahead of the NATO Summit, was referred to court with a request for judicial control after his interrogation by the prosecutor.
Following a four-day period in police custody, Vural gave his statement at the Kocaeli Police Department yesterday and was transferred to the Kocaeli Courthouse today.
After his statement to the prosecutor, Vural was referred to the court with a request for judicial supervision. Lawyer Elif Yetigen reported that Vural was interrogated on alleged charges of “membership in an illegal organization,”“making propaganda for an illegal organization,” and “inciting the public to hatred and hostility.”
Following his testimony in court, Abbas Vural was released under judicial control with an international travel ban. Vural will be required to report to a designated police station to provide his signature every 15 days.
What Happened?
Abbas Vural was detained on July 5 following a raid on his residence in Kocaeli. According to reports, special operations teams and Anti-Terror Branch (TEM) police broke down the door of Vural’s residence on the morning of July 5. Waking the household members with physical assault, the police forced Vural and those with him to the ground, handcuffing them behind their backs. After confiscating phones and computers and obtaining the passwords for the electronic devices, the police conducted identity checks on the residents and detained them after allowing them to change their clothes.
Police intervened against people who had gathered at Kurtuluş Park in Ankara in response to a call by the “No to NATO Coordination,” detaining a large number of people, including representatives of political organizations.
Photo: Emre Orman
On the first day of the 36th NATO Summit, held in Ankara on July 7–8, police intervened in a protest planned for Kurtuluş Park in Ankara at the call of the “No to NATO Coordination.”
Members of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) MPs Kezban Konukçu and Perihan Koca, Labor Party (EMEP) MPs İskender Bayhan and Sevda Karaca, Workers’ Party of Turkey (TİP) Chair and MP Erkan Baş, and People’s Houses Chair Sevinç Hocaoğulları were among a group that was surrounded by police around 11 a.m.
The groups under siege frequently chanted slogans such as “Murderer NATO, collaborator AKP,” “NATO get out, this country is ours,” and “Imperialists, collaborators, don’t forget the 6th Fleet.”
According to a post on the Ankara branch of the Association of Contemporary Lawyers (ÇHD)’s X account, 22 TİP students attempting to march toward Kurtuluş Park and approximately 75 people in Dikmen were detained “under torture and ill-treatment.” In addition, numerous individuals—including Halkevleri President Sevinç Hocaoğulları, Ece Ünsal, and ÇHD member Şevval Sarı—were also detained. According to the post by the ÇHD Ankara Branch, nearly 100 people were detained during today’s protests.
Police, who also intervened in the march held on Dikmen Street, detained Halkevleri Chairperson Sevinç Hocaoğulları, Halkevleri Secretary-General Özgür Ersoy, Legal Secretary Döndü Kurşunoğlu, and Central Executive Committee (MYK) member Nebiye Merttürk, subjecting them to the torture of being handcuffed behind their backs. Footage showed police in the detention vehicle attempting to silence Nebiye Merttürk, a member of Halkevleri’s Central Executive Committee (MYK), by squeezing her mouth and throat.
Nebiye Merttürk, Photo: Emre Orman
Kezban Konukçu, spokesperson for the Socialist Solidarity Platform (SODAP) and DEM Party Member of Parliament, stated in a statement following the police intervention: “Right now, at the meeting point where we gathered to go to Kurtuluş Park, they are detaining people one by one right beside us. They are beating and torturing them. We gathered to say, ‘NATO, get out—this country is ours.’ NATO is a war organization. We will not allow NATO supporters to have a foothold in this country.”
Interference with media workers
Police also intervened against media workers who were covering the protests and filming the detentions.
Erkan Baş, General Chairman of the Workers’ Party of Turkey, noted that Ankara has been under siege for days, stating, “They are detaining and arresting our friends, but they cannot silence the voices opposing imperialism, NATO, and its local collaborators in this country. “Today, we have shown once again that these voices cannot be silenced,” he said. Baş also noted that the police intervened not only against the demonstrators but also against the press covering the protests.
What had happened?
Ahead of the 36th NATO Summit to be held in Ankara on July 7–8, all forms of press statements, marches, sit-ins, setting up booths, distributing leaflets, hanging posters and banners, and hunger strikes were banned throughout the city from June 28 to July 10 by order of the governor’s office.
As part of summit preparations, Ankara’s main roads, diplomatic transit routes, and accommodation areas were closed off. Transportation and access to many areas were restricted around Beştepe, Söğütözü, Anadolu Boulevard, Mevlana Boulevard, Dumlupınar Boulevard, Atatürk Boulevard, and Ankara Boulevard.
Ahead of the NATO Summit, during house raids that continued across Turkey from late June until the day of the summit, a large number of people—including academics, lawyers, students, union members, and political party representatives—were detained. Among those detained was Niha+ reporter Abbas Vural. Of those detained in late June, 236 were subsequently arrested.
While a confidentiality order remains in place regarding the case of Niha+ reporter Abbas Vural who was among those detained during home raids conducted ahead of the NATO Summit to be held in Ankara on July 7–8, his detention period has been extended to 4 days. It has been reported that Vural was beaten during his detention.
Police officers who broke down the door of the house where Abbas Vural was staying as a guest scattered the belongings and books inside the house, Photo: Niha+
The detention period for Abbas Vural, a Niha+ reporter who was taken into custody following a home raid on July 5, ahead of the NATO Summit scheduled for July 7–8 in Ankara, has been extended to four days.
Attorney Elif Yetigin stated that, due to a confidentiality order on the case, they do not yet know what Vural is accused of, adding that defense attorneys have not been allowed to review the case file until the interrogation process begins.
Abbas Vural
The raid was carried out by breaking down the door
Meanwhile, details regarding Abbas Vural’s detention have begun to emerge. According to information obtained, special operations and Counter-Terrorism Branch (TEM) police officers jointly broke down the door of the home where Vural was staying and entered the premises early yesterday morning (July 5). The police, who woke up the occupants by assaulting them, pinned Vural and those with him to the ground with their hands cuffed behind their backs. After seizing phones and computers and obtaining the passwords to the electronic devices, the police identified the occupants, allowed them to change their clothes, and took them into custody.
Police officers got in by breaking down the door, Photo: Niha+
Confirming these events, Yetigin stated that the individuals, including our reporter Vural, documented the beatings and mistreatment they suffered during medical examinations at the hospital to which they were taken after their arrest.
Police officers scattered the belongings and books inside the house, Photo: Niha+
Detentions before NATO summit
Turkish police have arrested several journalists, rights activists, academics and members of leftist groups, according to media and unions in Turkey on late June.
Detention operations carried out across Turkey ahead of the NATO summit continued on July 5. In simultaneous home raids conducted in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Kocaeli, Antalya, Dersim, Urfa, Çanakkale, and Bursa, a large number of people—including academics, lawyers, students, union members, and political party representatives—were taken into custody. It is known that some of the detentions were part of the “Turquoise Operation” carried out ahead of the NATO Summit.
Among those detained were Ezgi Önalan, President of the Istanbul Branch of the Association of Contemporary Lawyers (ÇHD), and association member Yunusemre Işık; Gürkan Gülseven, a member of the Executive Board of Halkevleri; Gülcan Şahin, President of the Antalya Halkevi; and the entire branch management; members of the Turkish Workers’ Party (TİP), Emek Youth, and the Kaldıraç Movement, as well as central and local executives of the Private Sector Teachers’ Union (Yiğit Pertev, Diğde Simay Pertev, and Mehmet Akif Karaca); academic Sibel Özbudun; and writer Temel Demirer.
In addition, press organizations such as DİSK Basın-İş and the Dicle Fırat Journalists’ Association (DFG) had expressed their opposition on social media to the detention of Niha+ reporter Abbas Vural, T24 foreign news editor Buse Söğütlü, and Oda TV editor Ceren Erdoğdu.
As part of the home raids conducted ahead of the NATO Summit to be held in Ankara on July 7–8, 58 more people were arrested this morning and sent to prison.
Photo: Evrensel
Investigations continued ahead of the NATO Summit, scheduled for July 7–8 in Ankara. Of the 225 people taken into custody during home raids conducted in Ankara on the morning of June 23 under the name “Operation Turkuaz” ahead of the NATO Summit, a total of 178 had been arrested. This morning, arrest warrants were issued for 58 people taken into custody as part of the same operation.
In the operations, which involved 46 teams and 396 personnel, 58 people—reported to be wanted on charges of “terrorism, narcotics, security, and public order”—were taken into custody. After undergoing procedures at the police station, the 58 individuals were transferred to the courthouse, where they were detained by the court and sent to prison. This brings the total number of detainees to 236.
On Thursday, 34 people were released under house arrest, while 6 were released by order of the prosecutor’s office. Among those detained that day were volunteers from the TEMA Foundation; Yıldız Tar, Editor-in-Chief of Kaos GL; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emel Memiş, a faculty member at Ankara University; Hediye Yıldırım, a member of the Executive Board of Halkevleri; Burcu Arıkan, spokesperson for Umut-SEN; and attorneys Semra Demir and Kürşat Bafra from the Contemporary Journalists’ Association (ÇHD).
The Ankara Governor’s Office had banned all types of activities—including meetings, demonstrations, marches, press conferences, sit-ins, and rallies—in the city for 13 days, from 12:00 a.m. on June 28 to 11:59 p.m. on July 10, due to the NATO Summit scheduled for June 7–8.
The Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) has blocked access to the X accounts of numerous individuals, including freelance journalist Yusuf Çelik, Esra Ece Kutlu, Zilan Azad, Kaos GL Editor Oğulcan Özgenç, sendika.org Editorial Board Member Nisan Çıra, and journalist Yıldız Tar, who was arrested on June 25.
Photo: Serra Akcan / csgorselarsiv.org
Last week, on June 19, the X accounts of many associations and organizations advocating for LGBTI+ rights and sharing content related to LGBTI+ issues were blocked in Turkey.
Today (June 27), access to numerous X accounts—including those of freelance journalist Yusuf Çelik, Esra Ece Kutlu, Zilan Azad, Kaos GL Editor Oğulcan Özgenç, and sendika.org Editorial Board Member Nisan Çıra—was blocked on the grounds of “protecting national security and public order.”
Additionally, the X account of Yıldız Tar, Editor-in-Chief of Kaos GL and a journalist who was arrested on June 25, was also blocked today.
According to Kaos GL, X stated in a notification sent to users that the request for the access block was issued by the Information and Communications Technologies Authority (BTK). Accordingly, the decision to block access was made citing Article 8/A of Law No. 5651, “On the Regulation of Publications Made on the Internet and the Fight Against Crimes Committed Through Such Publications.”
Of the 209 people detained ahead of the NATO Summit in Ankara, 103 have been arrested. Journalist Yıldız Tar is among those arrested.
Photo: sendika.org
The 209 people detained during home raids conducted on the morning of June 23 ahead of the NATO Summit in Ankara have completed their police interrogations and been referred to the prosecutor’s office. Of those detained on charges of “being a member of an organization” and “spreading organizational propaganda,” 135 have completed their police procedures.
Of the 129 people referred to the magistrate’s court with a request for detention, 103 were detained, while 26 were placed under judicial supervision.
Among those detained are Nevzat Özer, Ankara Representative of the TEMA Foundation, Hediye Yıldırım, member of the Halkevleri Executive Board, Burcu Arıkan, spokesperson for Umut-SEN, Yıldız Tar, Editor-in-Chief of Kaos GL, lawyers Semra Demir and Kürşat Bafra from the Contemporary Journalists’ Association (ÇHD), and Associate Professor Dr. Emel Memiş.
Journalist Yıldız Tar was asked about the “Year of the Family”
According to information shared by Kaos GL, while journalist Yıldız Tar was not asked any questions regarding NATO during her interrogation, she was asked for her views on the government’s “Year of the Family” policies.
The Dicle Fırat Journalists’ Association posted the following on its social media accounts regarding Yıldız Tar’s arrest:
“Journalist Yıldız Tar, who was detained during operations carried out in Ankara ahead of the NATO Summit, was remanded in custody by the magistrate’s court. Tar had been detained during operations conducted on June 23. A detention order was issued for Tar, who was among those brought to court today.
The detention of journalist Yıldız Tar, who was taken into custody as part of the operations carried out ahead of the NATO Summit, constitutes an interference with press and freedom of expression.
We demand the immediate release of journalist Yıldız Tar and call for an end to all forms of pressure and interference targeting press freedom.”
In a statement, the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office claimed that the investigation was aimed at “uncovering the actions and activities of terrorist organizations across the country.”
Procedures for the other detainees are still ongoing at the police station.
Çiçek: What is the connection between these detentions and public safety?
Cengiz Çiçek, an Istanbul MP from the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), brought the detention of politicians, trade unionists, journalists, academics, lawyers, and LGBTI+ activists—carried out as part of an operation by the Ankara Police Department—to the agenda of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. Çiçek’s written question reads as follows:
What is the basis for the dawn raids that led to the detention of hundreds of citizens—including politicians, union leaders, journalists, academics, lawyers, and LGBTI+ activists—ahead of the NATO Summit? Have these individuals’ democratic and peaceful activities been deemed a threat to public safety?
Were the mass detentions and bans on gatherings and demonstrations carried out under Operation Turkuaz intended to suppress democratic opposition and social dissent ahead of the NATO Summit? What is the connection between these measures and public safety?
What is the purpose of detaining journalists, lawyers, academics, union leaders, and politicians—who are prominent in social and political spheres—through dawn raids, door-breaking, and the use of handcuffs behind the back? What message are these measures intended to send to the public and the democratic opposition?
What is the justification for the 13-day ban on all meetings and demonstrations in Ankara? Has this ban effectively nullified the right to assembly and demonstration, which is guaranteed by Article 34 of the Constitution?
Have any administrative or criminal investigations been launched against the law enforcement personnel responsible for the police violence that occurred at the Ankara TEM Branch? If not, what is the reason?
What is the legal justification for refusing to allow a representative from the Ankara Bar Association, who had come to take minutes, into the building? Does this practice not reinforce a culture of impunity by preventing oversight of law enforcement officers’ actions?
Following explosions that occurred in the Bor district of Niğde in 2018 and in the Hendek district of Sakarya in 2020, another explosion took place at the Yertaş Fireworks Factory—located in the Bor district of Niğde and owned by the same corporate group—resulting in the death of one worker and injuries to another.
Explosion at the Yertaş Fireworks Factory in the Bor district of Niğde, Photo: Social media
A major explosion occurred around 4:45 p.m. in the underground storage facility of the Yertaş Fireworks Factory, which operates in the town of Kemerhisar in the Bor district of Niğde. Although the fire was extinguished before it could spread thanks to the fire department’s intervention, preliminary reports indicate that Nuri Özkan lost his life and Yasin Demirbaş was injured as a result of the explosion.
Niğde Governor Nedim Akmeşe stated that the fire that broke out following the explosion had been extinguished, noting, “These facilities are located in areas where safety measures have been implemented. Production is not carried out in a single, integrated facility but in separate sections. There is no ongoing incident at this time. We extend our condolences to the family of the citizen who lost his life and our best wishes for a speedy recovery to the injured worker.”
The explosion that occurred at the Yertaş fireworks factory in 2018, Photo: AA
A similar explosion had also occurred at the same factory on January 27, 2018, resulting in the deaths of two workers, İlyas Ünlü and Muharrem Alkan.
The evolution of a company: From Coşkunlar to Yertaş
The Yertaş Fireworks Factory, where today’s explosion occurred, belongs to the same investment group as the Coşkunlar Fireworks Factory, which was the site of a major disaster in the Hendek district of Sakarya in 2020.
A statement about the company on the Yertaş Fireworks Factory website
In an effort to avoid public backlash following a series of fatal accidents, the company—which had been operating under names such as “Coşkunlar,” “Büyük Coşkunlar,” and “Venüs Coşkunlar”—had shifted its operations to Niğde and Sivas some time ago. The statement on Yertaş’s official website reads as follows:
“Our company was founded in 2009 with its headquarters in Ankara. In 2014, the current factory owner, Arif Yunus Coşkun, purchased all of its shares. On November 27, 2016, a factory officially producing explosive materials and fireworks was established in the company’s name, and construction completion and permitting procedures were carried out.”
These facilities, taken over by Arif Yunus Coşkun—a member of the Coşkun family, which holds a monopoly in the sector—continue to make headlines for explosion incidents, despite having changed their name.
The 2020 Hendek Disaster and the legal proceedings
The explosion in Hendek on July 3, 2020, which resulted in the deaths of 7 workers and injuries to 127 others, was felt kilometers away. The legal proceedings initiated following the incident serve as a striking example of how workplace fatality cases in Turkey often end in impunity.
The 2020 explosion in Hendek, Photo: Social media
At the sentencing hearing held on February 28, 2022, the Sakarya 1st High Criminal Court sentenced factory owners Yaşar Coşkun and Ali Rıza Ergenç Coşkun to 16 years and 3 months in prison each on charges of “causing the death and injury of multiple people through gross negligence.” Upon appeal of the decision, the 12th Criminal Chamber of the Court of Cassation reviewed the case and issued a landmark reversal. The Court of Appeals ruled that, given Yaşar Coşkun’s failure to ensure a safe working environment despite previous explosions and warnings, as well as the construction of unlicensed structures and the unauthorized storage of gunpowder, the act should be classified not as “gross negligence” but directly as “murder and injury with probable intent.”
However, the Sakarya 1st High Criminal Court, to which the case was remanded, defied the Supreme Court’s “potential intent” ruling and upheld its original decision. With this decision to uphold its ruling, Yaşar Coşkun—the sole defendant in custody in the case—was released. This decision was met with strong backlash from the victims’ families and their attorneys who had been following the trial.
The company’s defense strategy: Blaming the workers
The attitude displayed by the group’s former General Manager, Yaşar Coşkun, in the wake of past disasters also sums up the company’s perspective on workplace safety. Following an explosion in 2009, Coşkun targeted the workers who died, stating, “They packed the fuses incorrectly and didn’t wear protective gear because it was ‘too hot.’” Speaking about Hediye Hallaç, a 26-year-old woman who lost her life following another explosion in 2011, Coşkun said, “She had no burns on her body; according to the doctor, she died of fright.”
Citing explosions in China as an example, Yaşar Coşkun argued, “Hundreds of people are dying in China; if only one person dies here, that means we’re the safest factory in Europe.”
Scientific data reflected in the expert report
The report prepared by explosives expert Süleyman Polat on behalf of the Chemical Engineers’ Chamber of the Turkish Chamber of Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) following the 2020 Hendek explosion provided evidence of production irregularities at the factory:
Explosion Intensity: Although fireworks are classified as low-risk under regulations, the detonation speed of the exploding material was calculated at 5,400 meters per second. This speed falls between that of ANFO (4,400 m/s), used in mining, and the industrial explosive TNT (6,930 m/s), indicating an extremely destructive level.
Amount of Explosive: Based on seven separate shock waves recorded by the Kandilli Observatory over 111 seconds and the air shock pressure that reached 1.8 kilometers away, it was determined that at least 40 metric tons of pyrotechnic material exploded at the factory.
The TMMOB’s reports strongly emphasize that the implementation dates of regulations have been continuously postponed, administrative inspections have been inadequate, and the actual owners have evaded responsibility by shifting the entire legal burden onto technical staff who were merely designated on paper.
The 10th explosion in 19 years
The loss of life that occurred today in Niğde has gone down in records as the tenth explosion reflected in the press and official registers since 2007 at facilities belonging to the capital group in question. Here is the toll of those incidents from past to present:
September 1, 2007 (Sakarya):1 worker was injured due to a spark generated while grinding coal during gunpowder production.
May 21, 2009 (Sakarya):3 workers were injured in an explosion that occurred at a firecracker workshop.
August 17, 2009 (Sakarya):1 worker died and 33 workers were injured in an explosion that destroyed buildings in the laboratory department.
September 29, 2009 (Sakarya):1 worker died and 1 worker was injured in an explosion caused by cutting fuses before they had dried.
February 11, 2011 (Sakarya):1 worker lost their life and 14 workers were injured in an explosion in the manufacturing department.
June 30, 2013 (Sakarya):15 workers were injured as a result of flames spreading to a semi-finished goods warehouse.
December 14, 2014 (Sakarya):1 worker lost their life in an explosion that occurred on the production line.
January 27, 2018 (Niğde/Yertaş):2 workers lost their lives in an explosion at the production facility.
July 3, 2020 (Sakarya/Hendek):7 workers died and 127 workers were injured in consecutive explosions at the factory. (3 soldiers were later martyred in an explosion that occurred during the subsequent transportation of remaining waste from the area.)
June 26, 2026 (Niğde/Yertaş):1 worker lost their life and 1 worker was injured in an explosion that occurred in an underground warehouse.
In Tirana, protests that began as an environmental movement have transformed into a mass anti-government movement, with demonstrators demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama and fundamental institutional reforms.
Photo: Citizens Channel
The citizen-led protest movement against the Albanian government has entered its 24th consecutive day, marking one of the longest sustained civic mobilizations in the country in recent years. Every evening, protesters have gathered in central Tirana to express their dissatisfaction with the government of Prime Minister Edi Rama, demanding political and institutional changes that, in their view, would ensure a more democratic system that is more accountable to citizens.
What began as a protest against the construction of tourist resorts in the protected Pishe Poro–Narta area has now evolved into a broader movement against the government and the way Albania has been governed over the past 35 years by all major political parties. Protesters are calling for a “New Albania” and for investigations into all politicians who have held power and made decisions that they believe have harmed the Albanian people.
After more than three weeks of daily demonstrations, the organizing group unveiled five key demands, which they described as “legitimate and non-negotiable.” The first demand is the immediate resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama and his government. Organizers argue that the government has lost its legitimacy to govern and that a political solution is needed through the establishment of a transitional technocratic government.
The second demand calls for the creation of a non-partisan technical government with a limited mandate, which would administer the country for at least one year and prepare the conditions for free elections and institutional reforms. Protesters are also calling for constitutional amendments and electoral reform, which they argue should be approved through a popular referendum.
The list of demands also includes changes to the law on political party financing, with organizers arguing that the current system lacks transparency and allows illicit interests to influence politics. Another demand seeks to introduce a constitutional limit of no more than two terms for any prime minister.
In addition to these demands, organizers have reiterated their opposition to several government policies, including legal changes affecting protected areas, cultural heritage sites, and the strategic investor scheme, which they consider a mechanism that has facilitated controversial development projects.
Photo: Citizens Channel
While the protests have remained largely peaceful, tensions between the organizers and Prime Minister Rama have intensified in recent days. Activists accuse the prime minister of publicly targeting and discrediting protest participants through statements and social media posts that they describe as defamatory and dismissive. The government, on the other hand, has downplayed the protests and questioned the motives of the organizers.
Organizers and participants say the demonstrations will continue every evening until their demands are met.
The protests are unfolding in a highly polarized political environment and represent the most sustained civic challenge faced by the Albanian government in recent months. It remains unclear whether the movement will lead to concrete political or institutional changes, but it has already become a significant expression of public discontent and demands for greater accountability in Albania.
Ahead of the NATO summit to be held in Ankara on July 7–8, numerous people were detained during house raids. Among the 209 detained individuals are Elif Torun Öneren, the Chairperson of the Revolutionary Party, Hediye Yıldırım, a member of the Executive Board of Halkevleri, and journalist Yıldız Tar. A 24-hour restriction on lawyer access has been issued for the case file.
Photo: Evrensel
Following the Ankara Governorship’s 13-day ban on all demonstrations and events across the city for the NATO summit to be held on July 7–8, 2009 people were detained during morning raids targeting the homes of those who participated in anti-NATO protests.
During simultaneous morning house raids, numerous individuals from various institutions were detained, including the New Democratic Youth (YDG), the Federation of Socialist Youth Associations (SGDF), the Free University Movement, the Contemporary Lawyers’ Association (ÇHD), the People’s Law Office, and the Union of Precarious Unemployed Workers (UMUT-SEN). According to a statement by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, detention warrants were issued for a total of 241 people, and 209 individuals have been detained so far. A 24-hour restriction on lawyer access was imposed on those detained.
Backlash against rounding up stray animals
The Ankara Governorship had previously announced that, on the grounds of “ensuring summit security,” various bans would be implemented from 00:00 on June 28 until 23:59 on July 10, ahead of the NATO Summit to be held in Ankara on July 7–8.
On the other hand, ahead of the NATO Summit, the Ankara Provincial Security Directorate requested the rounding up of street dogs, particularly along the routes the delegation will pass and around accommodation areas. The official letter sent to municipalities requesting the rounding up of stray animals drew sharp criticism from various segments of society, led by animal rights defenders.
Melodi Zengin from the İzmir Life Rights Defenders stated, “We do not accept the rounding up of animals for the murderer NATO.” Zengin noted that rounding up animals is the product of a completely “anthropocentric” perspective that rejects ecological integrity.
The press release issued by the Turkey’s Ankara Governorship regarding the restrictions is as follows:
“Within the scope of the 36th NATO Summit to be held in Ankara on July 7–8, 2026; necessary security measures have been taken both to ensure the security of the summit and to maintain the peace and safety of our citizens by preserving public order. Accordingly, the following decisions have been made.
In order to prevent actions/activities that violate the provisions of Articles 6–10 and 22 of the Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations, which state, ‘Meetings cannot be held in parks, places of worship, buildings and facilities performing public services and their annexes, and within an area of 1 km from the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. In meetings held in public squares, it is mandatory to comply with the regulations to be made by the Governorships and District Governorships to ensure the passage of the public and transport vehicles’;
Based on the provision of Article 17 of the Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations, which states, ‘The regional governor, governor, or district governor may postpone a specific meeting for a period not exceeding one month, or ban it if there is a clear and imminent danger of a crime being committed, for the purpose of protecting national security, public order, prevention of crime, public health and public morals, or the rights and freedoms of others,’
and Article 11/C of the Provincial Administration Law No. 5442, which states, ‘It is among the duties and responsibilities of the Governor to ensure peace and security, personal immunity, safety regarding disposition, public welfare, and to exercise preventive law enforcement authority within provincial borders. (Additional sentence: 25/7/2018-7145/1 art.) The Governor takes the necessary decisions and measures to ensure these’;
Taking into account the protests previously held by various groups in places where guests will be accommodated and where the meeting will take place, as well as the calls made by these groups through social media;
For the purposes of ensuring national security, the reputation of our country, the peace and security of citizens, public order, the prevention of crime, and protecting the rights and freedoms of others, as well as the life safety of the delegations participating in the summit at the highest level;
ACROSS OUR PROVINCE,
Preventing the entry of unauthorized vehicles and individuals into designated sensitive areas, particularly the zones where the summit will be held, places where the delegation will stay, and transition routes,
Banning all kinds of unmanned aerial vehicle (drone, etc.) flights in the airspace of our province between the specified dates (except with the permission of the Governorship),
BANNING all kinds of open and closed area gatherings, meetings and demonstration marches, press statements, hunger strikes, sit-ins, protest actions, rallies, setting up stands, pitching tents, distributing flyers/manifestos/brochures, hanging posters/banners, etc., actions/activities within the scope of Article 11/C of Law No. 5442 and Article 17 of Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations, from 00:00 on June 28, 2026, until 23:59 on July 10, 2026 (for a duration of 13 days), necessary decisions have been made.
At least ten people, including Niha+ editor Doğa Tekneci and journalist Yusuf Çelik, who were covering the 12th Trans Pride March, were detained.
Photo: Doğa Tekneci/Nihaplus
Our editor Doğa Tekneci and journalist Yusuf Çelik, who were covering the 12th Trans Pride March in Kalamış, Kadıköy, Istanbul, organized by Istanbul Trans Pride Week, were detained.
Despite the bans imposed by the Istanbul Governorship the previous day, trans rights advocates gathered and marched with a banner reading “We will be like the Poyraz [North] wind blowing from Deniz to Arya”, commemorating their murdered trans friends. Throughout the march, participants chanted the slogan “The transphobic state will surely fall”.
Following the march, the dispersing crowd was subjected to identity checks by law enforcement. At least ten people, including our editor Doğa Tekneci and journalist Yusuf Çelik, who were covering the event, were detained.
Eylem sona erdikten sonra alandan ayrılan LGBTİ+’lar, kafelerde otururken, araçlarında ve taksilerde seyahat ederken polis tarafından tek tek gözaltına alındı. pic.twitter.com/oogMqB0xIh
Meanwhile, the Kadıköy District Governor’s Office issued a statement announcing that all meetings, marches, press conferences, sit-ins, setting up stands, erecting tents, distributing leaflets, protests, and similar actions/events are prohibited in all open areas within the Kadıköy district between 00:01 and 23:59 on Sunday, June 21st, in relation to the events announced on social media under the title “Pride Takvimi Yayında” [Pride Calendar on Air].
The District Governor’s Office based its justification for the ban on Article 17 of Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations and Article 32/ç of Law No. 5442 on Provincial Administration. The statement argued that, based on social media posts, the event is “contrary to general morality,”“could cause public outrage,”“could offend national, conscientious, and humanitarian values,” and “could threaten social peace.”
The district governor’s office also claimed that “verbal and physical provocations” could occur between those organizing the events and citizens.
Statement from DİSK Basın-İş
Press division of the Confederation of Progressive Unions of Turkey, DİSK Basın-İş, stated that the detention of journalists Doğa Tekneci and Yusuf Çelik is a form of pressure directed at the public’s right to information and the visibility of LGBTI+’s, and demanded their immediate release.
🏳️⚧️ 12. İstanbul Trans Onur Yürüyüşü kapsamında en az 10 hak savunucusuyla birlikte gazeteciler Yusuf Çelik ve Doğa Tekneci de gözaltına alındı.
Barışçıl bir şekilde gerçekleştirilen bir yürüyüşü takip eden gazetecilerin gözaltına alınması kabul edilemez. Basın ve ifade… pic.twitter.com/9Mffs4WJni
