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Turkey Detains Hundreds and Limits Press in Run-Up to NATO Summit

Human rights groups say the detentions and media exclusions threaten free expression ahead of the meeting

Overview

  • Turkish authorities carried out a series of raids that led to about 225 people being detained and 178 placed in pretrial detention, according to state prosecutors and multiple news reports on June 27.
  • Those held include journalists, academics, lawyers, trade-unionists, teachers, students and named civil-society figures such as Yildiz Tar, Emel Memis and Nevzat Özer.
  • NATO has denied accreditation to numerous Turkish reporters for the July 7–8 summit and said it relies on the host for journalist vetting, leaving many independent outlets excluded from coverage.
  • Ankara has imposed a near-two-week citywide ban on public assemblies and deployed large security measures, including cordons around the presidential palace and tens of thousands of security personnel.
  • Rights groups including Human Rights Watch and local organisations say the terrorism charges appear to be used to intimidate dissent, a practice that could curtail protest, shrink civic space and put pressure on NATO to raise concerns with the host government.