Turkey Weekly 27 April – 3 May 2026
Turkey Today – 30.04.2026
The 19-year and 6-month prison sentence brought against Mehmet Sıddık Akış, Hakkari’s co-mayor, who was removed from office on 3 June by the Ministry of the Interior and replaced by an appointed trustee, on the grounds that he was an “organisation leader”, has been upheld at the final hearing of the case.
The students who were taken to hospital following a chemical leak at the KYK hall of residence in Ağrı have been discharged. It has been reported that the hall management prevented the students from giving statements.
MHP chair Devlet Bahçeli and President and AKP Leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met at the Presidential Complex.
In the trial in which 414 people, including 92 who are currently in custody, are being tried on charges of “corruption”, a decision has been made to release 15 of them.
The hearing in the “insult” and “defamation” case filed against journalists Barış Terkoğlu, Barış Pehlivan, Can Bursalı, Nevzat Çiçek, Doğan Akın, Gökmen Karadağ, Ayşenur Arslan, Fatih Portakal, and Can Ertekin has started in Istanbul. Trial adjourned until October.
After sentencing journalist Tolga Şardan to 5 months in prison under Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code, the court proceeded – without leaving the courtroom – to the hearing of another case against him. Following a recess, the judge ruled for acquittal.
The final hearing in the case against human rights defender Nurcan Kaya, who is charged with “membership in an organization”, was held in Istanbul. Following a short recess, the court sentenced Kaya to 6 years and 3 months in prison.
Abdullah Ateş, a 78-year-old seriously ill prisoner in Iğdır prison sentenced to life imprisonment, is not being released despite worsening health conditions.
Turkey Today – 29.04.2026
Şükriye Yanık, the wife of Enver Yanık, a sick prisoner being held at Menemen R-Type Closed Prison, stated that his condition was deteriorating and called for his immediate release.
President Erdoğan addressed his party’s parliamentary group meeting. Speaking about the process, he said, “There is a positive atmosphere. It is clear what needs to be done. The process is proceeding as it should.”
Trade unions and professional organizations held commemorations in Taksim and Şişhane squares for those killed on May Day in 1977 and 1989, calling for joint struggle.
Academic for Peace Associate Professor Dr. Gül Köksal has been reinstated to her position 9.5 years after being dismissed, following a court ruling.
The Parliamentary Inquiry Committee, established to investigate the attacks that took place at schools in Urfa and Maraş and whose members were elected by the General Assembly, will have a mandate of three months.
CHP Leader Özgür Özel paid a visit to Türk-İş Leader Ergün Atalay. Responding to a question about the alliance following the meeting, Özel stated, ‘We will hold whichever hand we need to hold.’
Turkey Today – 28.04.2026
Şaban Kazdal, the new member appointed by President Erdoğan at the ceremony marking the 64th anniversary of the Constitutional Court, took the oath of office. Kazdal had received the lowest number of votes in the election.
In an open letter in which they expressed their concerns regarding local democracy in Turkey, rapporteurs from European institutions emphasised that the detention of elected representatives undermines the democratic process.
The CHP Ankara Provincial Headquarters announced that a stone-throwing attack had been carried out on the Keçiören District Headquarters.
Twenty-five press and freedom of expression organizations, including the IPS Communication Foundation/bianet, have criticized the growing use of the “disinformation law” against journalists and called for its abolishment.
The hearing in the case against journalist Barış Terkoğlu over his articles has started in Istanbul. Trial adjourned until November.
The fourth hearing in the case against BirGün reporter İsmail Arı and Managing Editor Yaşar Gökdemir, who are charged with “defamation” has started in Istanbul. Trial adjourned until October for the completion of deficiencies.
The struggle of the Doruk Madencilik workers on strike in Ankara has ended in victory. A firm agreement has been reached regarding the payment of the workers’ outstanding wages and compensation.
Turkey Today – 27.04.2026
Sixteen university students were detained during house raids carried out in Izmir early this morning. It has emerged that the detentions were linked to an incident seven months ago at Dokuz Eylül University, where nationalists were prevented from setting up a stall on campus.
The appeal for release filed by Tuncay Sonel, the former Governor of Tunceli who was arrested in connection with the Gülistan Doku investigation, has been rejected. Yılmaz Delen, who was the Provincial Police Chief of Tunceli at the time and is currently the Provincial Police Chief of Yalova, was summoned to give evidence as a witness.
The hearing in the case against journalist Can Öztürk and 14 students, who were detained while covering the Boğaziçi University protests, has started in Istanbul. Trial adjourned until July.
A research assistant at Middle East Technical University (METU), has filed a compensation lawsuit over an article by bianet’s women’s news editor Evrim Kepenek published in her weekly “Women’s Agenda” column.
The Milas Criminal Court of First Instance has ruled that Esra Işık, the symbolic figure of the Akbelen resistance who was arrested for defending her land, should remain in custody.
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Turkey Weekly 20 – 26 April 2026
Turkey Today – 26.04.2026
In response to a motion tabled by the DEM Party, the Parliament revealed that there are 1,052 immunity cases involving 145 MPs. There are 628 cases involving 43 DEM Party MPs and 325 cases involving 71 CHP MPs.
Şahismail Bedirhanoğlu, head of the Southeastern Industrialists and Businesspeople Association (GÜNSİAD), said the next step in the process must come from the state and government.
The hunger strike launched by mine workers over the non-payment of their wages and compensation is now in its seventh day.
The family of Rojwelat Kızmaz, who was found dead in Hasankeyf, will request a review of the case following recent developments in the case of Gülistan Doku.
Turkey Today – 25.04.2026
DEM Party spokesperson Ayşegül Doğan said in a press conference regarding the ongoing process that concrete legal steps must be taken without delay.
The Istanbul Bar Association has reacted to the Ministry of Justice’s announcement that new department heads will be established for specific types of crime, stating that the announcement is a clear indication that the ‘politicisation of the judiciary’ has evolved into the ‘judicialisation of politics’.
Mustafa Bilici, the Future Party’s Member of Parliament for İzmir, stated that legislative measures must be enacted before Parliament goes into recess.
An expert report on the MCG Tower, which collapsed in the 6 February earthquakes in Hatay, stated that all those responsible—from the contractor to the site manager, and from officials at the building inspection firm to municipal officials—were found to be ‘primarily at fault’.
The Saturday Mothers gathered at Galatasaray Square in week 1100 and commemorated the Armenian intellectuals who were taken into custody on 24 April 1915 and have not been heard from since.
Turkey Today – 24.04.2026
Legal and human rights organisations, noting that the health of Enver Yanık, a seriously ill prisoner held at Menemen R-Type Closed Prison, is deteriorating, have called for his immediate release.
The film “Rojbash”, which was banned by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism two years ago but had its screening ban lifted by a court ruling at the start of 2026, has been banned once again. The Court of Appeal has overturned the ruling that had allowed the film to be screened.
CHP MP Sezgin Tanrıkulu asked Justice Minister Akın Gürlek, in a motion he submitted regarding the Directorate for the Investigation of Unsolved Crimes, “How many unsolved cases are to be investigated retrospectively?”
The fifth hearing in the case against journalist Mehmet Üçar, who was charged with “membership in an organization” over articles he wrote for Yeni Özgür Politika and PolitikArt, was held in Batman. The court sentenced Üçar to 1 year and 6 months in prison.
The parliament passed an omnibus law that includes provisions prohibiting social media providers from offering services to children who have not completed the age of 15.
Turkey Today – 23.04.2026
Various commissions have been established within the Ministry of Justice. One of these commissions is the Directorate General for the Investigation of Unsolved Crimes.
Speaking in Parliament, CHP chair Özgür Özel said, ‘We support the process and expect it to succeed without further delay.’
Can Atalay addressed Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş, stating that, as an elected Member of Parliament for Hatay, it was his duty and responsibility to be entered into the parliamentary register with a single signature, in accordance with the Constitution and the decisions of the Constitutional Court.
An investigation has been launched into Abdullah Keskin, the Editor-in-Chief of Avesta Yayınları, a publishing house that publishes in Kurdish, on the grounds of “organisation propaganda”, citing posts he made on the social media platform X between 2021 and 2025.
Turkey Today – 22.04.2026
The leaders and officials of the DEM Party, CHP, EHP, EMEP, TİP and TÖP issued a joint press statement following a meeting with Can Atalay, Tayfun Kahraman and Osman Kavala, who are detained in connection with the ‘Gezi Case’. The delegation had previously visited Selahattin Demirtaş, the former co-chair of the HDP, and Selçuk Mızraklı, the former mayor of Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality, at Edirne Prison, where they are currently being held.
The demands of three prisoners who went on hunger strike in protest at being held in what they describe as a “well-type” prison have been accepted.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met with President Erdoğan at the Presidential Palace during his visit to Turkey. Prior to the meeting, Rutte visited the ASELSAN facilities and emphasised that defence industry production is of critical importance to NATO.
CHP chair Özgür Özel discussed the necessity of a by-election, the Can Atalay case and the appointment of trustees during a two-hour meeting with Speaker of the Grand National Assembly Numan Kurtulmuş. Speaking after the meeting, Özel reiterated his call for an early election.
The prosecutor, who presented his closing statement in the case of Aziz İhsan Aktaş, requested the release of three individuals. The court ruled to release five individuals: Gülşah Ocak, Ferit Tutşi, Çağdaş Ateşci, Kadir Aydar and Erdoğan Anıl.
The second hearing in the retrial of journalist Neşe İdil, following a Constitutional Court violation ruling, was held in Istanbul on charges of “making propaganda for an organization.” The court ruled to reimpose the previous sentence of 1 year and 3 months in prison.
Turkey Today – 21.04.2026
The Suruç Families’ Initiative has called for the trial in the Suruç Massacre case to be conducted as a crime against humanity.
Zeydan Karalar, the suspended Mayor of Adana Metropolitan Municipality, stated that his detention had been lifted and that he should be reinstated to his post.
Workers at Doruk Mining launched a hunger strike in front of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources to demand the fulfilment of their claims, following a march they had initiated over unpaid wages and compensation. Early this morning, the police attacked the protesters; 110 miners and officials from the Independent Miners’ Union were detained.
The second hearing in the trial against journalist Tuğçe Yılmaz, who is charged with “publicly insulting the Turkish nation” over a news article published on Bianet, has started in Istanbul. Trial adjourned until October.
In the investigation into “boycott” calls, the second hearing of the trial against 21 defendants – including actor Cem Yiğit Üzümoğlu and several social media influencers – who face up to 7 years and 6 months in prison each, was held in Istanbul. Trial adjourned until June.
The Ministry of the Interior has announced that Ali Demirçalı, the Mayor of Yüreğir, has been suspended from office as a provisional measure following his sentencing to five years, three months and ten days in prison.
Turkey Today – 20.04.2026
Gürkan Türkoğlu, one of the political prisoners at the Antalya Döşemealtı High-Security Prison who had been on hunger strike to demand a transfer from the ‘well-type’ prison to another facility, has been admitted to intensive care. At Turkey’s request, NATO is preparing to establish a multinational corps, a military headquarters hosting troops from several member states, in Adana as part of the NATO southern regional defense plan. The plan covers the Mediterranean, the South Caucasus, the Black Sea and North Africa.
The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) trial, in which a total of 414 individuals—including 92 who are currently in custody—are standing trial, including Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, continues in Silivri.
TIP chair Erkan Baş announced that their application to visit Selahattin Demirtaş, former Co-Chair of the HDP, had been rejected by the Ministry of Justice without any justification being given.
Çağdaş Özdemir, the former chief physician at Tunceli State Hospital, who was taken into custody as part of the Gülistan Doku investigation, has been remanded in custody.
The Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) has put the television station TELE 1, which it had taken over, up for sale.
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Turkey Weekly 13 – 19 April 2026
Turkey Today – 19.04.2026
According to the records of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, it has emerged that many ministries have failed to respond to parliamentary questions within the statutory time limit.
Thousands of women from various cities of Turkey and Kurdistan gathered in the Gemlik district of Bursa to demand freedom for Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan.
Tensions flared during the match in the 36th round of the TFF 1st League, in which Amedspor were away to Bandırmaspor. Bandırmaspor supporters directed abusive chants at the Kurdish politician Leyla Zana.
The statement of Mustafa Türkay Sonel, the prime suspect in the Gülistan Doku investigation, has come to light.
Turkey Today – 18.04.2026
The number of people taken into custody in the operation targeting Istanbul’s Ataşehir Municipality, as part of a series of operations against CHP-run local authorities, has risen to 20.
METU students protested against school attacks and showed their support for the ‘vigil for life’ organised by education unions outside the Ministry of National Education. Emphasising in a statement that they would not remain silent, the students said, ‘We will continue our struggle until those responsible are held to account.’
In a statement made outside the Hatay Children’s and Youth Correctional Institution, the Hatay and İskenderun branches of the Human Rights Association (İHD) called for the immediate release of Ş.M., stating that his rights to health, life and access to medical treatment had been violated.
Şükrü Eroğlu, the bodyguard of Tuncay Sonel, the governor of Tunceli at the time, who was detained in connection with the Gülistan Doku investigation, has been remanded in custody on charges of “murder”. The number of detainees in the case has risen to nine.
Saturday Mothers gathered at Galatasaray Square in week 1099 and asked about the fate of Nurettin Yedigöl, who disappeared whilst in custody in 1981.
Turkey Today – 17.04.2026
Syrian Transitional Government President Ahmed al-Sharaa arrived in Turkey to participate in the fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum and met with Foregin Minister of Turkey. President Erdoğan also met with al-Sharaa.
A detention warrant has been issued for Tuncay Sonel, the former governor of Tunceli, within the scope of the Gülistan Doku case.
CHP MP Aliye Coşar emphasised that increasing the daily allowance provided to women and children staying in women’s shelters is not a solution to the problem, stating, “The AKP government is not trying to solve the problem, but merely to get by for the time being.”
Women who gathered outside Tunceli Courthouse to demand clarity regarding the fate of Gülistan Doku stated that no significant progress had been made in the investigation, which has been ongoing for over six years, and called for public officials to be included in the proceedings.
Turkey Today – 16.04.2026
The statement given to the prosecution by former police officer Gökhan Ertok, who was detained in Ankara as part of the investigation into the disappearance of Gülistan Doku, a student at Munzur University, has been completed. Ertok was remanded in custody by the court to which he was referred.
The 23rd day of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) trial, in which 435 people, including the CHP’s presidential candidate and Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, who is currently in custody, are standing trial, has come to an end.
As part of the investigation into Bursa Metropolitan Municipality, in which 35 people, including Mustafa Bozbey, were arrested, three further individuals for whom arrest warrants had been issued have been taken into custody.
The 9th hearing in the case against journalist Umut Taştan and 50 others, who were detained while covering the Gezi protests, has started in Istanbul. Trial adjourned until October.
Turkey Today – 15.04.2026
Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) Co-chair Sezin Uçar was arrested on charges of “terrorist organization membership” after coming to Turkey from abroad.
An armed attack took place at Ayser Çalık Secondary School in Maraş. Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi announced that nine people had lost their lives in the attack. It was reported that the attacker, an eighth-year pupil, was also killed.
It has emerged that Ömer Ket, who injured 16 people – 10 of them students and 4 of them teachers – at the Ahmet Koyuncu Vocational and Technical High School in Urfa’s Siverek district had been detained and released the day before the attack.
A signature campaign will be launched in 56 cities to demand clarification of the suspicious death of Rojin Kabaiş.
The first hearing in the case against detained journalist and PİRHA reporter Cihan Berk, who is charged with “membership in an organization,” was held in Tunceli. The court ruled to continue Cihan Berk’s detention. Trial adjourned until June.
The trial of six individuals, including journalist Ender İmrek, charged with “membership in an organization,” was held in Istanbul. The court ruled to acquit all defendants.
Three prisoners on hunger strike at Antalya Döşemealtı High-Security Prison, whose condition has deteriorated, remain in hospital, whilst four people waiting outside the hospital were taken into custody.
Turkey Today – 14.04.2026
Three prisoners on a hunger strike at Antalya Döşemealtı High Security Prison were taken to Antalya City Hospital as their condition worsened, while the Humna Rights Association (IHD) called for the prisoners’ demands be met.
In a statement regarding the process, Speaker of the Grand National Assembly Numan Kurtulmuş said, “Politics has fulfilled its responsibility. Now the organisation must fulfil its own.”
The Ministry of the Interior has granted permission to launch an investigation into Mansur Yavaş, the Mayor of Ankara Metropolitan Municipality.
Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, former chair of the CHP, has been sentenced to 11 months and 20 days in prison for insulting the President.
While detention orders were issued for 13 people in the case of university student Gülistan Doku, who went missing in Dêrsim (Tunceli), 11 people were detained.
Journalist Hakkı Boltan has been sentenced to 1 year and2 months in prison for “insulting the president” over a 2016 statement where he condemned the killing of a reporter during the conflict in the Kurdish regions.
Zafer Arapkirli, a writer for BirGün and a presenter on BirGün TV, has been sentenced to two years and six months in prison under the disinformation law, which was said not to apply to journalists.
One more person was arrested today and brought before the court as part of the investigation into the attack on the police checkpoint outside the Israeli Consulate. The total number of detainees has now risen to 13.
CHP chair Özel visited the Felicity Party to discuss the by-election.
Turkey Today – 13.04.2026The İstanbul Bar Association has announced that one of its members, Yunus Özayar, was physically assaulted by police officers at a station in the Esenyurt district. The association called for the immediate suspension of the officers involved under the slogan “end violence in police stations.”
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has requested a defense from Turkey regarding the application of Ekrem İmamoğlu, the suspended mayor of İstanbul.
Ruken Gülağacı, a member of the Executive Board of Lawyers Association ÖHD, who was on trial on charges of “membership of an organisation” as part of the HDK investigation, has been acquitted.
İstanbul prosecutors have opened an investigation into journalist Bahadır Özgür, a columnist for Halk TV’s website, over a report on ISIS shell companies following a criminal complaint by the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK).
Newroz Uysal Aslan, the DEM Party MP for Şırnak, submitted a comprehensive written question to Justice Minister Akın Gürlek regarding the failure to implement European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) rulings and violations of the right to assembly and demonstration.
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Turkey Weekly 6 – 12 April 2026
Turkey Today – 12.04.2026
Canan Güllü, President of the Federation of Women’s Associations of Turkey, emphasised that the sharing of images without consent in the digital sphere constitutes an organised, systematic and cross-border form of violence.
Nine people, including Ümit Erkol, the CHP Ankara Provincial Chair, who were detained as part of the ‘cooperative’ investigation in Izmir, have been remanded in custody.
It has emerged that mining operations carried out by Alagöz Holding in Giresun are proceeding illegally, despite the court’s order to suspend them. Villagers are continuing their resistance against the illegal operations.
In his response to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s post, Ekrem İmamoğlu said, “The Republic of Turkey does not take the accusations of mass murderers seriously. As for the Kurds, they possess a sense of honour that will never allow them to stand alongside those who commit genocide.”
CHP Chair Özgür Özel continued his “by-election” talks with political parties by meeting with the SOL Party. In a statement issued following the visit, emphasis was placed on the opposition forces’ joint struggle.
Turkey Today – 11.04.2026
During protests held in Istanbul, Ankara and Adana to draw attention to the plight of sick prisoners, it was emphasised that their release is not a ‘gesture of goodwill’ but a legal obligation.
In a joint statement, the Turkish Medical Association (TTB), the Health and Social Services Workers’ Union (SES), the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV), the Lawyers’ Associations ÇHD and ÖHD, and the Human Rights Association (İHD) stated that human rights violations in prisons had become systematic and called for an immediate end to solitary confinement practices.
Saturday Mothers gathered at Galatasaray Square in week 1098 and demanded information regarding the fate of Nezir Acar, who disappeared after his arrest in April 1992 in Mardin’s Dargeçit district.
Cumhurbaşkanı Erdoğan ile Fransa Cumhurbaşkanı Macron telefonda bir görüşme gerçekleştirdi. Görüşmede Ortadoğu’daki ve Hürmüz Boğazı’ndaki gelişmelerin ele alındığı belirtildi.
A group of 223 workers dismissed by a state-appointed trustee in Van said they are now unable to pay their rent after nearly a year of protests, calling for what they described as unlawful practices to end.
Explaining the ‘hub-and-spoke’ school system they are working on, Education Minister Yusuf Tekin stated that teachers would teach at more than one school and that the Ministry would organise their transport.
Seven people were detained during an operation targeting a group suspected of smuggling in Yüksekova. Of those brought before the court, one was a police officer and four were remanded in custody.
Turkey Today – 10.04.2026
Lawyers from the Asrın Law Office submitted an application to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe for the “right to hope” for Abdullah Öcalan.
Deputy Mayor Leyla Beykoz has been taken into custody as part of an investigation into ‘donations’ to Bolu Municipality.
Remzi Azizoğlu, Co-Chair of the Mesopotamia Language and Culture Research Association (MED-DER), reacted to the fines imposed on institutions providing education in Kurdish, stating, “A language will die out without official recognition and education. A language cannot be preserved by simply telling people to ‘speak it at home’.”
The third hearing in the case against 49 people, who were detained during the rally area and through house raids on the grounds that they attended the demonstration held in Saraçhane on March 25, was held in Istanbul. All defendants were acquitted. A criminal complaint will be filed regarding the allegations of torture.
An İstanbul court sentenced four police officers to six years in prison each for destroying official documents in the retrial concerning the death of Onur Yaser Can. Can died by suicide in 2010 following allegations of torture and sexual abuse during police custody.
Kurdish journalist Ruşen Takva’s X account has been blocked four times in the past year. He’s currently on his fifth and it’s unclear how long it’ll be until that one could be blocked too.
Turkey Today – 09.04.2026
The İHD İskenderun Branch reported that 17-year-old Ş.M., who is being held at Hatay Children’s Prison, is not receiving his medication regularly and has attempted suicide twice a day; it called for “Ş.M. to be released immediately and transferred to hospital as a matter of urgency”.
Necati Özkan’s defence was cut short, and the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality case has been adjourned until Monday.
Özgür Özel, who met with Ahmet Davutoğlu as part of the by-election agenda, stated that it was Numan Kurtulmuş who had complicated the matter, whilst Davutoğlu said, “Just as we have never opposed any election, we will not oppose such a proposal either.”
The tenth hearing in the case where 19 journalists and media workers are on trial on charges of “membership in an organization” and “making propaganda for an organization,” was held in Diyarbakır. Trial adjourned until April. The court also ruled to maintain the travel bans.
The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) has imposed administrative fines of varying amounts on ULUSAL 1, BEYAZ TV, beIN SPORTS 1 and Radyo Lider İzmir.
Turkey Today – 08.04.2026
Despite suffering from life-threatening illnesses, political prisoner Şefika Kandar remains in custody. The Institute of Forensic Medicine has classified the 66-year-old as “fit to be detained”, even though she has suffered two heart attacks in prison over the past few months.
MHP Deputy Group Leader Erkan Akça emphasised that the legislative measures must be implemented without delay.
The signature of Abdullah Barış, the lawyer for the informant Ümit Akbıyık, appeared on an identification report that was intended to be signed by a child whom he did not represent. It was also stated in court by a soldier that Barış, against whom there are numerous complaints, had ‘assisted the gendarmerie’.
The first hearing in the case against 11 rights defenders, who were executives of the Genç LGBTİ+ Association, dissolved by a court decision in 2025 in İzmir, was held in İzmir. The court ruled that all defendants will be exempt from attending future hearings. Trial adjourned until October.
İYİ party chair Müsavat Dervişoğlu stated that Turkey urgently needs an election, whilst describing CHP leader Özgür Özel’s call for a ‘by-election’ as ‘unrealistic remarks’.
Turkey Today – 07.04.2026
The management of Kocaeli No. 2 F-Type High-Security Prison demanded a translation fee of 5,000 TL from the prisoner Mahmut Aba in order to allow him to receive a book in Kurdish that had been sent to him.
Twenty-one people were detained during house raids carried out in the centre and districts of Agiri. It has been reported that the detentions were carried out on the grounds of slogans and banners displayed during the Newroz celebrations. A large number of young people were detained during house raids carried out in Hakkari.
A clash took place outside the building that also houses the Israeli Consulate. Two police officers were injured in the clash. One of the attackers was killed and two others were injured. A total of five people were taken into custody.
Five people arrested following a march in Diyarbakır calling for “freedom for Abdullah Öcalan” were released at their first court hearing.
A further arrest warrant has been issued for Mayor Muhittin Böcek, who was arrested during an operation targeting Antalya Metropolitan Municipality and sent to prison.
In the case concerning the Yüksel Apartment Block, which collapsed in Malatya during the 6 February earthquakes, the court sentenced the technical supervisor and the structural engineer to four years and four months’ imprisonment, and municipal officials to two years and 11 months’ imprisonment.
Following the Constitutional Court’s (AYM) ruling of a violation, the retrial of Neşe İdil, who is charged with “making propaganda for an organization”, was held in Istanbul. Trial adjourned until April to allow time for the preparation of the defense.
The sixth hearing in the case against journalists Mehmet Aslan, Esra Solin Dal, and Erdoğan Alayumat on the charge of “membership in an organization,” was held in Istanbul. Trial adjourned until June.
Turkey Today – 06.04.2026
Hüseyin Çelik, one of the founders of the AKP and a former minister, has described the party-affiliated presidential system as “a disaster for Turkey”.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan received Tom Barrack, the US Ambassador to Ankara and Special Representative for Syria, in Ankara.
Deputy Governor Hulusi Doğan has been appointed to replace Mustafa Bozbey, the Mayor of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality, who has been arrested and suspended from office, until a deputy mayor is elected.
The second hearing in the case against filmmaker Rojhilat Aksoy, who is charged with “publicly denigrating the institutions of the state” over the screening of the animated film Aurora’s Sunrise about the Armenian Genocide in Diyarbakır, was held in Diyarbakır. The court ruled for acquittal in the case.
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Turkey Weekly 1 – 5 April 2026
Turkey Today – 05.04.2026
The ‘e-Lawyer’ scheme, introduced on the instructions of Justice Minister Akın Gürlek, who sought to restrict detainees’ right to consult with their lawyers, has been implemented.
CHP chair Özgür Özel will visit the DEM Party tomorrow to meet with Co-Chairs Tülay Hatimoğulları and Tuncer Bakırhan.
Former HDP MP Sebahat Tuncel was detained along with three others at a picnic organised in Istanbul to mark Abdullah Öcalan’s birthday. A large number of people were beaten.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has paid a visit to Syria. Fidan, who was received by HTS Foreign Minister Shaybani, is also due to hold a trilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and HTS leader Colani.
Turkey Today – 04.04.2026
Two siblings were injured as a result of a mine explosion in the rural Şabana neighborhood in Mardin’s Nusaybin district.
As part of an investigation into Bolu Municipality, the gendarmerie have launched a search of the municipal building.
Seda Baykan, imprisoned in Diyarbakır Women’s Closed Prison, has begun a hunger strike, stating that she has been subjected to systematic pressure and solitary confinement for the past four years.
Saturday Mothers gathered at Galatasaray Square in week 1097 and asked about the fate of Talat Türkoğlu, who disappeared in custody 30 years ago.
Speaking on the CHP’s call for early elections, DEM Party Co-Chair Tuncer Bakırhan stated that this demand was understandable.
Residents in Bingöl organised a march to protest against the planned hydroelectric power plant projects on the Göynük River and called for the projects to be cancelled.
The Mesopotamia Agency’s Bluesky account has been suspended.
Turkey Today – 03.04.2026
Justice Minister Akın Gürlek issued a statement following his visit to Diyarbakır Governor Murat Zorluoğlu, calling for the process to be supported with patience.
President Erdoğan spoke on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin. During the conversation, Erdoğan stated that ‘Turkey does not condone the attacks against Iran, nor does it approve of Iran’s retaliation against countries in the region’.
DEM Party MP Newroz Uysal Aslan, who brought the violations occurring at Dumlu High-Security Prison to the attention of Parliament, stated that prisoners were being treated as criminals for carrying out cleaning duties, that they were being given spoiled milk, that access to the exercise yard was being arbitrarily restricted, and that families were subjected to numerous impositions, such as strip searches.
Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said a social media regulation would be included in a new judicial reform package, adding: “We have reached an agreement with social media platforms. Within three months, everyone will access social media using their identity.”
A rally was held in Bursa in protest of the arrest of Mustafa Bozbey, Mayor of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality.
Youth organisations protesting the arrest of environmental activist Esra Işık in Akbelen Forest called for an immediate end to the crackdown on environmental activists and demanded Esra Işık’s release.
Turkey Today – 02.04.2026
Speaker of Parliament Numan Kurtulmuş met with Deputy Speaker Pervin Buldan and Mithat Sancar, a member of the DEM Party’s Imrali Delegation.
The Constitutional Court has once again ruled that there has been a violation of rights in the Gezi case, following an application by Tayfun Kahraman regarding the failure to implement the previous ruling on the violation of his rights.
In a parliamentary question regarding the rulings of the ECtHR, Sezgin Tanrıkulu of the CHP asked Justice Minister Akın Gürlek: ‘How many of the rulings finding Turkey in breach of human rights, issued by the European Court of Human Rights, have been implemented within the prescribed timeframe?’
Lawyers took to the streets in numerous cities to demand the release of their colleague Musa Bendeş, who has been detained for nearly two months on charges of ‘resisting the police’ during a protest against the attacks on Rojava.
The hearing in the retrial of sociologist and writer Pınar Selek, whose fourth acquittal in the case related to the Egyptian Bazaar bombing was overturned by the Court of Cassation, was held in Istanbul. The court ruled to continue the arrest warrant issued in absentia against Selek.
The first hearing in the case against documentary filmmaker Koray Kesik on the charge of “making propaganda for an organization” due to his involvement in the 2013 documentary Bakur, was held in Batman. The court lifted the judicial control measures and the travel ban. Trial adjourned until May.
Turkey Today – 01.04.2026
In Mardin’s Nusaybin district the graves of those who lost their lives at various times during the war have been desecrated.
In a joint statement made in front of Esenyurt Town Hall, the DEM Party and the CHP said, ‘We wish to emphasise that we stand with our people in every square and in every sphere.’
Following his speech at the AKP parliamentary group meeting, President Erdoğan met with Speaker of Parliament Numan Kurtulmuş.
In an investigation conducted in Bursa, 57 people, including Bursa Metropolitan Mayor Mustafa Bozbey, have been detained on allegations of bribery and organised crime. Seven companies have had administrators appointed, and proceedings are ongoing.
Prisoners on hunger strike at Antalya High-Security Closed Prison are experiencing critical health problems. The IHD, ÇHD and ÖHD have issued a joint statement calling for the closure of cell-block prisons.
During the site inspection carried out as part of the legal proceedings against the urgent expropriation of agricultural land surrounding Akbelen Forest, villagers were not allowed onto the site.