Turkey Weekly 23 – 28 February
Turkey Today – 28.02.2026
Speaking on the 170th month of the Roboski Massacre, Tanju Gündüzalp, a member of the Justice Initiative for Roboski, said, ‘Roboski is one of the central bases of the state’s historical “impunity paradigm”.’
CHP leader Özgür Özel announced that a lawsuit had been filed against Ekrem İmamoğlu over an “official vehicle”.
The Saturday Mothers, in their 1092nd week of protests, emphasised that they would not give up their demand for justice, questioning the fate of Cüneyt Aydınlar, who disappeared in custody 32 years ago.
It was alleged that a detainee at Kandıra Type T Prison No. 1 was taken to hospital with suspected meningitis, but no quarantine measures were implemented in the cell block. It was claimed that the vaccine was available only at a cost, but no official statement was made.
The General Manager and a reporter of Koza TV were detained as part of an investigation launched into the broadcasting of footage related to Incirlik Air Base.
Turkey Today – 26.02.2026
Asrın Law Office announced that Abdullah Öcalan, who is being held in Imralı F-Type High Security Closed Prison, and other detainees Hamili Yıldırım, Ömer Hayri Konar, Ergin Atabey and Mahmut Yamalak had a meeting with their families today.
Diyarbakır Bar Association Vice President Şilan Çelik stated that the definitions within the proposed transitional legislation mentioned in the Parliamentary Commission’s report must be clearly formulated and that cooperation with bar associations is essential to ensure the credibility and oversight of the process.
A student who participated in the 19 March protests at Hacettepe University was given a one-year suspension.
The third hearing in the case against Züleyha Müldür, a reporter for Etkin News Agency (ETHA), and two others, who are charged with “membership in an armed organization” and “propaganda for an organization,” was held in Istanbul. Trial adjourned to May.
The third hearing in the case against journalist Feyza Nur Çalıkoğlu, who is on trial on charges of “publicly disseminating misleading information” for reporting on allegations of ill-treatment at the Çatalca Removal Center, was held in Istanbul. The court ruled to acquit Feyza Nur Çalıkoğlu.
Turkey Today – 24.02.2026
Ramazan Demir, one of the lawyers representing former HDP Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş, has been sentenced to 7 months and 15 days in prison. Demir, who had previously been sentenced to 11 years and 3 months in another case, announced that they would appeal the latest ruling.
Speaker of the Grand National Assembly Numan Kurtulmuş visited DEM Party Co-Chairs Tülay Hatimoğulları and Tuncer Bakırhan to discuss the process commission report and the steps to be taken.
Numan Kurtulmuş met with CHP Leader Özgür Özel to discuss the process commission report and the steps to be taken. Özel said, ‘The solution arrangements and democratisation steps must be implemented without delay and together.’
The application to find the instigators of the attack on the Evrensel newspaper’s Izmir office was rejected by the public prosecutor’s office on the grounds that there were no grounds for prosecution.
The trial of lawyers Özüm Vurgun and Necat Çiçek, members of Lawyers Association ÖHD, who were being tried on the basis of statements made by the confessed perpetrator Ümit Akbıyık, has been postponed.
Turkey Today – 23.02.2026
The CHP Congress case has been postponed until 1 April. The court has decided to request that it be combined with the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality case.
Co-chairs of the DEM Party, Tülay Hatimoğulları and Tuncer Bakırhan, will meet with Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş tomorrow.
Kemal Irmak, President of the Education Union, said in a statement that the Ministry of Education had characterised ‘Ramadan activities’ in schools as divisive and dangerous games.
The 2nd hearing in the trial of Council of Europe Youth Delegate Enes Hocaoğulları, who is charged with “inciting hatred and hostility among the public,” was held in Ankara. Enes Hocaoğulları has been acquitted of all charges.
The trial of journalist Yıldız Tar and writer İbrahim Elçi, who are charged with “membership in an armed terrorist organization” as part of the HDK investigation, was held in Ankara. Trial adjourned to June.
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Turkey Today 16 – 21 February 2026
Turkey Today – 21.02.2026
The KCK Executive Council issued a written statement regarding the report prepared by the Parliamentary Commission stating that the failure to mention the Kurdish issue in the report is a continuation of centuries of denial.
Ramazan Kaya, an inmate at Erzurum Dumlu Prison No. 2, stated that he had been harassed by guards under the guise of searches and that if the searches continued, he and his fellow inmates had decided not to leave their cell.
Following the parliamentary report, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan asked his staff to ‘be careful not to create a false perception among citizens’ regarding the regulation on the ‘right to hope’ for Abdullah Öcalan, which was discussed afterwards.
The DEM Party Local Administration Council issued a reprimand against Mümin Erol for using sexist language and making insulting remarks towards journalist Mücahit Tarlan.
Turkey Today – 21.02.2026
Numan Kurtulmuş stated that the legal regulations in the process report prepared by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey should be put on the agenda after Ramadan, and said that there was no hidden agenda in the constitutional debates.
The Platform to Stop Women’s Murders called for an effective investigation, stating that the deaths of Balımnaz and Nergis Türkkal, who died in the flood in Izmir, were ‘suspicious’.
IPI and 13 partner orgs demand the immediate release of investigative journalist Alican Uludağ, who was arrested on charges of “insulting the president” over his reporting and social media posts.
Saturday Mothers gathered at Galatasaray Square in Istanbul in week 1091 and demanded to know the fate of Murat Yıldız, who was detained in İzmir 31 years ago and subsequently disappeared.
Associate Professor Dr Gül Köksal, who was dismissed from Kocaeli University under Decree Law No. 672, has been reinstated to her position.
Turkey Today – 20.02.2026
The IHD stated that the language used in the process report did not respond to the spirit and needs of the peace process, and that the emphasis on concepts from the past created a distance from the idea of ‘peace’.
The trial of 22 human rights defenders, including Günseli Kaya, a member of the Founding Board of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (HRFT), charged with “insulting the President,” was held in Istanbul. Four people were released. The hearing was adjourned.
Speaking on the ‘right to hope,’ Justice Minister Akın Gürlek stated that the article in question was not included in the laws and that the authority to regulate it lay with Parliament.
The 107-page report prepared by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey’s National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission has been published on the Assembly’s official website.
Two of the 17 people detained during house raids in Istanbul were arrested.
Turkey Today – 19.02.2026
Şırnak MP Newroz Uysal Aslan filed an official complaint with the parliament’s Human Rights Investigation Commission, calling for an on-site investigation into allegations of torture and mistreatment at the Hatay juvenile facility.
Speaking at an event held at the Çankaya Palace, President Erdoğan stated that the Parliamentary Commission had completed its work and that the process had moved to a new stage.
Can Tuncay, who served as Deputy Chief Prosecutor during Akın Gürlek’s tenure as Chief Prosecutor of Istanbul, has been appointed Deputy Minister of Justice.
The first hearing after the Constitutional Court’s violation ruling was held in the case against journalist İnan Ketenciler who is on trial for “Recording Audio and Video” after documenting police violence by wardens. The court, complying with the Constitutional Court’s violation ruling, acquitted journalist İnan Ketenciler.
Turkey Today – 18.02.2026
The parliamentary Committee on National Solidarity, Fraternity and Democracy, adopted its final report today with 47 votes in favor, 2 against, and 1 abstention.
CHP Deputy Group Leader Gökhan Günaydın stated that Ekrem İmamoğlu, the detained Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, had not been allowed to meet with MPs following the change at the Ministry of Justice.
In the Gezi Park protests, the Constitutional Court ruled that there had been a violation of rights in the case of a woman who suffered a broken collarbone due to high-pressure water fired from a water cannon in Taksim. It ruled that an effective investigation had not been conducted, ordered a retrial and awarded 150,000 lira in compensation.
The government is working to introduce a bill that would criminalize LGBTI+ identities and expressions and restrict gender reassignment therapy, the pro-government daily Türkiye Gazetesi reported.
DEM Party Iğdır co-chair Deniz Kaynar was released on condition of house arrest.
Gürsel Tekin, appointed as trustee to the CHP Istanbul Provincial Directorate, said in a speech in Şile, ‘We will look back and return our party to its factory settings.’
Turkey Today – 17.02.2026
Lawyer Ercan Kanar said that Abdullah Öcalan should be able to meet freely with politicians, journalists, and foreign visitors, arguing that compliance with a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) would be sufficient to secure his release.
DEM Party Bedlîs MP Semra Çağlar Gökalp requested that a Parliamentary Inquiry be opened to investigate allegations of ‘neglect, discrimination and irregularities’ regarding the number of works written in Kurdish in the public inventory and the cataloguing and digital access processes.
The trial of journalist Erdoğan Alayumat, journalists Tuğçe Yılmaz, Suzan Demir, Gülcan Dereli, Kemal Taylan Abatan, translator Serap Güneş, and sociologist Berfin Atlı was held in Istanbul. The hearing, which the defendants did not attend, was adjourned to April, as the court decided to wait for the examination of digital materials.
A court in İzmir has rejected an appeal to release a 16-year-old girl who was formally arrested on Feb 6 over social media posts supporting hair-braiding protests. Her lawyer had applied for the child’s release after she was indicted for “making propaganda for a terrorist organization.”
Turkey Today – 16.02.2026
YARSAV (Association of Judges and Prosecutors) Founding President Ömer Faruk Eminağaoğlu filed a lawsuit with the Council of State to overturn Akın Gürlek’s appointment as Minister of Justice.
Responding to journalists’ questions before the Parliamentary Commission drafting team meeting, MHP Deputy Chair Feti Yıldız said, “Although the right to hope will not be included as a heading, it will be included in the content based on the ECHR rulings.”
Four defendants released during the trial concerning the harassment of student interns working at the Parliament have been re-arrested.
AKP Deputy Speaker of Parliament Bekir Bozdağ argued that a new constitution is needed at a conference on the topic of “New Constitution,” stating, “There is agreement on the need for a new constitution.”
Akın Gürlek, appointed as the new Minister of Justice, met with Numan Kurtulmuş, Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.
The hearing in the case against lawyer Şiar Rişvanoğlu, charged with “membership in an organisation,” was held in Adana. The court adjourned the hearing to April 10 for the completion of procedural deficiencies.
SES İzmir Branch No. 1 emphasized that removing hospitals from the “high-risk” category would reduce oversight and jeopardize worker health.
Seventeen people who shared content on the OnlyFans platform, which is blocked in Turkey, have been arrested.
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Turkey Weekly 2 – 8 February 2026
Turkey Today – 08.02.2026
Istanbul Bar Association Vice President Attorney Rukiye Leyla Süren stated that the biggest obstacles to clarifying suspicious female deaths begin during the investigation process.
Feti Yıldız, a member of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), stated on social media that the Peace and Democratic Society Process is ‘a matter of state that is not open to debate, cannot be postponed and is irreversible’.
Keçiören Mayor Dr Mesut Özarslan, who was rumoured to be joining the AKP, announced his resignation from the CHP. Özarslan claimed that Özgür Özel had insulted him as the reason for his resignation.
Bilal Balcı, the defendant in the İsias Hotel case who was sentenced to 10 years in prison and banned from leaving the country, requested that the ban be lifted on the grounds that he wished to perform the Hajj pilgrimage.
Turkey Today – 07.02.2026
Human rights organisations have spoken out on behalf of 16-year-old A.K., who was arrested for sharing a hair braiding video, stating that ‘the decision directly threatens the child’s psychological integrity and future.’
The dismissed Mayor of Adana Metropolitan Municipality, Zeydan Karalar, said regarding the process of reinstating him to his position, ‘Mayors facing the same charges as me are still in office. Why shouldn’t Zeydan Karalar return to his position?’
At their 1089th vigil, the Saturday Mothers in Istanbul addressed the fate of Mehmet Şirin Maltu. The 17-year-old was abducted by the Turkish gendarmerie in Êlih in 1995. Since then, there has been no trace of him.
DEM Party MP Ayten Kordu submitted a motion for an inquiry into the 6 February earthquakes, stating that fundamental problems such as housing, the economy, justice and missing citizens remain unresolved in the earthquake zone despite three years having passed.
Twelve of the 13 suspects detained in an operation targeting ISIS in three provinces centred on Kırşehir have been arrested.
Turkey Today – 06.02.2026
DEM Party MPs submitted a report on human rights violations related to police interventions in the Syrian protests to parliament. The report highlighted excessive use of force and arbitrary arrests and detentions.
According to a statement by Eğitim Sen, despite three years having passed since the earthquakes of 6 February 2023,
container classrooms continue in the earthquake zone, school dropouts are increasing, and teachers are unable to find accommodation.
According to the earthquake report by the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) and the Health and Social Services Workers’ Union (SES), three years after 6 February, housing and health problems persist while psychosocial devastation deepens.
The AKP Group Chairman Abdullah Güler, based in Diyarbakır, met with representatives of mass organisations in the city. The meeting discussed the process and the situation in Syria.
Forty more people detained in operations targeting the ESP were brought before the court today. Twenty-four of the 40 were arrested. Six people detained in Malatya and Antep were also arrested.
The first hearing in the case against Şiar Rişvanoğlu, charged with ‘membership of an armed terrorist organisation’, was held in Adana. The court decided to lift the judicial control conditions. Trial adjourned until February.
Turkey Today – 05.02.2026
Despite the agreement reached between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Interim Government of Damascus, the siege continues on its 17th day in Kobanê, where more than 500,000 people live, including refugees.
When journalists asked about Devlet Bahçeli’s statement on the “right to hope”, AKP deputy chairman Mustafa Elitaş said, ‘This matter is being assessed by our colleagues on the committee.’
Forty people, including Co-Chair Murat Çepni, who was detained in operations targeting the ESP, were arrested.
The Turkish, Kurdish and English X accounts of the Mezopotamya Agency have been blocked four times by the Information and Communication Technologies Authority in the last month.
Twenty-five people were detained on bribery charges as part of an investigation conducted by the Izmir Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office into the Buca Municipality.
The ninth hearing in the case against journalist Sedef Kabaş, filed over 25 social media posts on charges of “insulting the President,” was held in Istanbul. Trial adjourned until May.
The first hearing in the “boycott call” case, in which 21 defendants — including actor Cem Yiğit Üzümoğlu and social media influencers — are facing up to 7 years and 6 months in prison, could not be held today. The judge stated that he was ill and said the courtroom was physically inadequate.
Turkey Today – 04.02.2026
Humanitarion aid collected for Kobane returned to Diyarbakır five days later after no passage permit was granted.
Rezan Sarıca, one of the lawyers from Asrın Law Office, stated that the right to hope must be implemented for Abdullah Öcalan without delay.
MHP Deputy Chair Feti Yıldız stated, ‘The courts decide on Demirtaş’s release. We must comply with the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights and the Constitutional Court.’ Following the meeting, Yıldız announced, ‘We have reached an agreement on the Right to Hope.’
The group proposal submitted by the DEM Party to investigate all the consequences of the 6 February earthquake was rejected by the votes of the AKP-MHP.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has filed a public lawsuit against Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, Necati Özkan, Hüseyin Gün and Merdan Yanardağ on charges of ‘political espionage’ as part of its investigation.
President Erdoğan emphasised ‘stability’ for Syria and Gaza during his meeting with President Sisi in Egypt. He signed military and economic agreements during the visit.
The fourth hearing in the trial of 9 activists who protested trade with Israel during a speech by President Erdoğan was held in Istanbul. Trial adjourned until June.
Turkey Today – 03.02.2026
During the operation conducted against ESP, the Federation of Socialist Youth Associations, the Socialist Women’s Councils, the Limter-İş Trade Union, Polen Ecology, BEKSAV and various other organisations, numerous individuals were detained.
During house raids in Istanbul, Etkin Haber Ajansı (ETHA) reporters Pınar Gayıp, Nadire Gürbüz, Müslüm Koyun and Züleyha Müldür were detained. All equipment was confiscated during the raid on the agency.
Five of the 16 youths detained three days ago in Van have been arrested.
The Co-Chairs of the DEM Party visited the Future Party Headquarters to discuss the Rojava agenda.
A new investigation has been launched into journalist Öznur Değer for taking and sharing a photograph of police using violence against a crowd, including journalists, during a march for Rojava in Van on 29 January.
Turkey Today – 02.02.2026
Speaking after the cabinet meeting, President Erdoğan targeted the opposition on the issue of Syria, stating, ‘Whoever attempts to undermine peace will be crushed.’
The agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Damascus entered practical implementation today.
The city of Kobanê, home to 600 thousand people, has been under heavy siege since 20 January. Health officials are concerned that major health problems will arise if medicines are not supplied.
Police attacked citizens who gathered in Muş in support of Rojava. Two people were detained in the attack.
Applications made to ensure that staff salaries could be paid in companies under receivership were rejected by the court hearing the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality case.
The Çukurova Teaching Staff Association stated that YÖK President Erol Özvar’s plan to shorten the duration of undergraduate degrees and involve businesses in education would undermine scientific rigour, university autonomy and academic freedom.
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Turkey Weekly 1 February 2026
Turkey Today – 01.02.2026
The 25 lorries of aid collected for Kobanê have been held up for three days.
Police assaulted journalists who wanted to cover the Ankara Democratic Institutions Platform’s march on 1 February, World Rojava Solidarity Day.
A statement of solidarity with Rojava was made in İstanbul’s Kadıköy district. As the crowd dispersed after the statement, six young people were detained.
Following a march in support of Rojava attended by thousands in the Kızıltepe district of Mardin, police attacked young people, beating and arresting many of them.
On 1 February, tens of thousands of people took part in a march organised in Diyarbakır as part of World Rojava Solidarity Day.