Kurdish activist Ali Çeven was detained in Istanbul on 1 November for the second time in three days and subsequently arrested on charges of “making terrorist propaganda”. Çeven’s first detention followed comments he made in a street interview, in which he stated “I am not a Turk”, amid ongoing discussions in Turkey about a possible solution to the Kurdish question. The interview attracted widespread attention on social media, with users both supporting and criticising his comments.
Çeven’s lawyer, Suphi Özgen, reported that his client was subjected to physical violence while in custody and announced plans to file a complaint about the mistreatment. “Ali Çeven was assaulted during his detention, despite a ban on such treatment. We will take legal action against those responsible,” Özgen said. He later confirmed that Çeven had been officially charged with promoting an armed organisation and expressed his disappointment at the court’s decision.
Çima lêdan /niçin kötü muamele?
Bugün sabah saatlerinde evinde gözaltına alınan müvekkil Ali Çeven @alicevenresmi maalesef darp edilmiştir. Kötü muamele yasak olduğunda suç duyurusunda bulunacağız.
Savcılık “silahlı örgüt propagandası yapma” suç isnadı ile tutuklanmak için sulh… pic.twitter.com/LIFhjMaEk2— Av Suphi Özgen (@avsuphiozgen) November 1, 2024
Çeven’s arrest has drawn considerable reaction from political figures and human rights groups. Members of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party criticised his treatment, saying it was an attempt to silence Kurdish perspectives. DEM Party MP Meral Danış Beştaş commented: “Ali Çeven has been detained twice, mistreated and now arrested just for saying ‘I am not Turkish’… Is there anything more to be said?”
Similarly, Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu, a DEM Party MP, said: “You kept asking me, ‘What do the Kurds want?’ Ali Çeven was trying to explain what the Kurds want. He was detained multiple times, assaulted, and finally arrested.”
The Urfa Bar Association also condemned Çeven’s treatment and called for an investigation. “Ali Çeven was detained twice within a few days for expressing his views on the Kurdish issue. His lawyer reports that he was subjected to violence during his second detention. The law enforcement agencies have no authority to impose punishment; the officers involved must be identified and subjected to judicial and administrative investigation,’ the Bar Association statement said.
The Lawyers for Freedom Association in Istanbul issued a statement condemning the actions of the police, saying Çeven’s arrest “exceeds the limits of the law and appears to be intended as punishment”. They stressed Turkey’s obligations under international treaties prohibiting torture and ill-treatment, and warned that a culture of impunity encourages such violations. “Torture is a crime against humanity. The officers responsible for Çeven’s mistreatment must be immediately suspended and investigated”.
The incident comes amid a heated public debate in Turkey about possible solutions to the Kurdish question, with Çeven’s comments closely aligned with the ongoing discourse. His comments, which expressed clear views on this sensitive issue, have now led to his arrest, raising concerns about freedom of expression and the state’s approach to dissent.
