Turkey Weekly 1- 4 October 2026
Turkey Today – 04.10.2026
The Strategic Political and Defence Committee, established under the Mecca Agreement, is due to meet tomorrow in Riyadh with the participation of delegations from Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. The talks will focus on the institutionalisation of the alliance, regional security and a joint response to current threats.
According to a briefing note prepared by lawyers on behalf of detained LGBTI individuals in Mersin, these individuals are unable to access the medication and hormone tablets they need to take regularly.
A man named Mahmut Üzen, who lives in the Hizan district of Bitlis and works as a beekeeper, was taken into custody after his home was raided in the early hours of the morning.
The Varto Ecology Platform and environmental organisations have called for “a scientific, independent and impartial report” ahead of the expert site inspection due to take place on 8 October as part of the legal proceedings against the planned geothermal power station (GPP) project in Gimgim.
Özgür Özel, the new party leader, met with Ekrem İmamoğlu, the presidential candidate and Mayor of Istanbul, who is currently detained in Silivri.
Turkey Today – 03.10.2026
Ill prisoner Celal Yıldırım (56), who suffers from heart failure, was taken to hospital after falling ill last night.
DEM Party İmralı Delegation members Pervin Buldan and Mithat Sancar met with Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz.
The DEM Party’s Imralı Delegation met with Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş to discuss the legislative measures to be introduced during the new parliamentary term and the monitoring committee to be established.
Saturday Mothers gathered at Galatasaray Square in week 1223 and asked about the fate of İbrahim Gündem, who went missing whilst in custody 35 years ago.
Mehmet Pehlivan, the lawyer representing Ekrem İmamoğlu, the Mayor of Istanbul who is currently in custody, said in a statement regarding his client’s transfer from Tekirdağ to Kocaeli: “Did you want to prevent me from seeing my daughter, or to cause me pain?”
Turkey Today – 02.10.2026
The Kurdish X account of the Mesopotamia Agency has been blocked in Turkey following a decision by the BTK. The agency has announced that it will continue to post content in Kurdish via a new account.
Kadir Karaçelik, President of the Muş Bar Association, noted that an appeal had been lodged with the Constitutional Court against the ‘statute of limitations’ ruling in the Vartinis Massacre case and that they were expecting a fair ruling from the Court, adding, “The ruling to be handed down will have an impact on social peace.”
Derya Oktan, a journalist and member of the DISK Press and Media Workers’ Union’s Disciplinary Board, was taken into custody and, upon arrival at Çağlayan Courthouse, was remanded in custody without being questioned.
In a statement issued by the TMMOB Mining Engineers Branch regarding the workplace fatality in Soma, in which five workers lost their lives, it was stated: “Workplace accidents caused by a failure to take necessary precautions, and cave-ins in mines in this day and age, are unacceptable.”
President Erdoğan hosted the mayors of Tuzla, Şile and Çekmeköy, who had joined the AKP, at the Vahdettin Mansion.
Turkey Today – 01.10.2026
MHP Deputy Chair Feti Yıldız said he hoped that the Monitoring Commission would be established within a week or 10 days.
DEM Party Executive Committee member Rıdvan Yusufoğlu and TJA activist Dilan Yörüklü were taken into custody in Şırnak.
Former HDP MP Alican Önlü was detained whilst travelling to the Ovacık district of Dersim to attend a funeral.
The family and lawyer of Kurdish artist Nûdem Durak, who was imprisoned for making Kurdish music and sentenced to 19 years and six months in prison, have called for her release, saying she should be allowed to pursue her art freely.
A court has issued an access-blocking order for the X account of EngelliWeb, a project that monitors and documents online censorship decisions in Turkey.
Following President and AKP Chairman Erdoğan’s attendance at the opening of the 5th legislative year of the 28th Parliament, New Party Chair Özgür Özel left the General Assembly.