Turkish authorities have arrested dozens of people in nationwide raids ahead of next week’s NATO summit in Ankara.
These operations primarily targeted members of leftist groups, academics, and journalists, Turkish media reported on Sunday.
Officials stated the raids were part of a counter-terrorism investigation. Critics, however, alleged the real intent was to prevent potential protests.
The state-run Anadolu Agency reported that police detained 39 suspects last week in raids across eight provinces. In a separate operation in Kocaeli province, 28 individuals allegedly linked to extremist groups were also arrested. Authorities said they seized ammunition and banned digital materials during the raids.
The Turkish Journalists’ Association (TGC) and the Progressive Lawyers’ Association (CHD) called for the release of the detained journalists on the social media platform X. The groups argued the arrests undermine press freedom and aim to intimidate opposition voices.
At the end of June, more than 200 people suspected of ties to the Islamic State (IS) group and far-left factions were also arrested in Ankara.
