Turkish police detained dozens of individuals in coordinated house raids across multiple cities on Tuesday, including Diyarbakır (Amed), İstanbul, Mardin (Mêrdîn), and Ankara, as part of an escalating crackdown on journalists, activists, and political figures. Authorities have yet to provide a comprehensive explanation for the arrests, fuelling speculation about the targeting of dissenting voices.
In Diyarbakır, Kayapınar (Peyas) Co-Mayor Cengiz Dündar, Mezopotamya Women Journalists’ Association (MKG) President Roza Metina, journalist Ahmet Sümbül, director Ardin Diren, and several teachers affiliated with the Education and Science Workers’ Union (Eğitim-Sen) were detained.
İstanbul police arrested prominent journalists Erdoğan Alayumat and Bilge Aksu, as well as Nimet Tanrıkulu, a founding member of the Human Rights Association (İHD). Senior members of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, including Co-Deputy Chairperson Sevtap Akdağ, were also apprehended, alongside other party officials. Officials indicated these arrests were linked to an Eskişehir-based investigation.
In Çanakkale, DEM Party Gökçeada Co-Chair Bedirhan Şeker and youth activists were among those detained, with the rationale for their arrests not disclosed. Similar detentions occurred in Batman (Êlih), where journalist Mehmet Uçar was taken into custody.
Mardin’s Artuklu (Ertuqî) district saw the detention of nine family members, including five individuals with the surname Şimdi, reportedly connected to recent protests against state-appointed trustees replacing elected officials.
Several individuals were detained both in Şırnak (Şirnex)’s Cizre (Cizîr) district and Şanlıurfa (Riha). Allegations surfaced that during a raid in Şanlıurfa’s Bozova (Hewag) district, the mother of a wanted individual was physically assaulted.
In Tunceli (Dêrsim), Mersin, Adana, and Izmir, further arrests targeted union leaders, lawyers, and Socialist Youth Associations Federation (SGDF) members. Notable names include lawyer Şiar Rişvanoğlu, SGDF member Sezgin Zevkibol, and trade union leader Kemal Göksoy.
The detainees were transported to local police headquarters for questioning. The widespread nature of the raids and the prominent profiles of those detained have drawn criticism from human rights advocates and opposition figures, who view the actions as politically motivated.
Observers link these operations to increasing state pressure on opposition groups amid heightened political tensions. While authorities cite ongoing investigations as justification, the opaque nature of these cases raises concerns about the erosion of democratic norms and freedom of expression in Turkey.
