Turkey Weekly 25 – 31 May 2026
Turkey Today – 31.05.2026
Speaking following the Executive Board meeting held in Parliament under the chairmanship of CHP Leader Özgür Özel, Zeynel Emre said, ‘As the party congresses have been cancelled, the CHP’s valid congress is the one held in July 2020. If the period exceeds six years, that political party cannot stand in elections.’
221 former MPs and senators, reacting to the ruling of ‘absolute nullity’ issued regarding the CHP’s 38th Ordinary Congress, have called on the party leadership to convene an extraordinary congress within 45 days at the latest.
On the anniversary of the Gezi protests, many areas in Beyoğlu – including Taksim Square, the Republic Monument and the AKM – were cordoned off with barriers.
Speaking on the occasion of the 13th anniversary of the Gezi protests, DEM Party Co-Chairs Tuncer Bakırhan and Tülay Hatimoğulları called for the release of those detained in connection with the Gezi trial.
Turkey Today – 30.05.2026
At their 1,105th weekly protest at Galatasaray Square, the Saturday Mothers emphasised that public holidays are “the times when the absence of a grave is felt most keenly” for the families of the missing.
CHP Leader Özgür Özel walked towards Anıtkabir with the crowd following the Eid celebrations held outside his party’s Ankara provincial headquarters.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the term of office of Tom Barrack, the US Ambassador to Ankara and Special Representative for Syria, had come to an end.
Mansur Yavaş, the Mayor of Ankara, who attended the CHP rally at Güvenpark and stood alongside Özgür Özel, was threatened by TGRT Haber presenter Fuat Uğur. Uğur said, ‘Mansur Yavaş has made his position clear. I wish him well.’
In the Arhavi district of Artvin, residents organised a march and a press conference to protest against the region being opened up to mining activities. The residents emphasised that they would continue their campaign, calling for the mining licences to be revoked.
Turkey Today – 29.05.2026
DEM Party Co-Chairs Tülay Hatimoğulları and Tuncer Bakırhan issued statements marking the 46th anniversary of the Çorum Massacre, calling for the massacre to be confronted and for justice to be served.
The CHP Manisa Provincial Branch announced that control of its official Facebook page had been taken away from them following an unauthorised intervention.
It has emerged that, as part of the ‘Ottoman Turkish Language Training’ project launched by the Ministry of the Interior for its staff, it has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Hayrat Foundation, which is known for its close ties to the Nur community.
Turkey Today – 28.05.2026
DEM İmralı delegation member Pervin Buldan, who stated that the bill expected to be introduced as part of the Peace and Democratic Society Process would consist of seven or eight articles, said that they would present the draft bill to Abdullah Öcalan.
CHP Deputy Group Leader Murat Emir responded to Kılıçdaroğlu’s statement that “the CHP Group General Assembly of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey will not be held.” Emir stated that the group meeting would take place, adding, “Kılıçdaroğlu has no authority regarding the group meeting.”
Asrın Law Office announced that families visited Abdullah Öcalan and the other prisoners held at İmralı Prison.
The Justice Initiative for Roboski gathered for its 173rd month of protests, demanding that the massacre in which 34 people lost their lives be fully investigated. In a statement, the group highlighted the policy of impunity surrounding the Roboski case and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice
Ülkü İnanlı, Deputy Chair of the CHP Group in the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Council, responded to claims that the General Directorate of Foundations is preparing to transfer ownership of the municipality’s main building in Saraçhane: “It is still owned by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality at the moment, but we don’t know if it will still be ours tomorrow.”
Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu announced that 13,513 people applied to health facilities yesterday due to injuries sustained on the first day of Eid.
Turkey Today – 27.05.2026
Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu filed an application seeking to have the election in which Özgür Özel became Parliamentary Group Chair declared invalid.
Following the ruling of absolute nullity, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who was appointed as CHP chair, put the two vehicles used by Özgür Özel up for sale with the label ‘Haram vehicles’.
In a holiday message shared on his social media account, Speaker of Parliament Numan Kurtulmuş stated that work on a new constitution is underway.
In a report published following his visit to Turkey, Michael O’Flaherty, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, called for comprehensive reforms regarding the Turkish Penal Code, the Anti-Terrorism Law, internet and media legislation, bans on public gatherings, interference with bar associations and lawyers, and the failure to implement rulings by the European Court of Human Rights and the Constitutional Court.
Hafize Çetin, a student at Bilgi University in Istanbul, was detained on suspicion of “publicly disseminating misleading information”.
Due to the NATO Summit, staff at public institutions in certain districts of Ankara have been granted administrative leave, whilst a ban has also been imposed on mass gatherings and events throughout the summit.
Deniz Yolcu, who climbed onto a water cannon to protest against a police attack ahead of Özgür Özel’s rally in İzmir and was subsequently beaten and detained after climbing down, has been arrested.
Turkey Today – 26.05.2026
Police used water cannons and tear gas against a crowd to block a rally by ousted CHP leader Özgür Özel in İzmir.
One of the first steps taken by Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who was appointed leader of the CHP following a court ruling, was to close the Presidential Candidacy Office. Around 30 staff members at the party headquarters were made redundant.
The Presidency’s Communications Directorate has blocked access to 93 digital media accounts that had reacted to the decision to close Bilgi University and the ruling of “absolute nullity” against the CHP.
Ahmet Göksu, the brother of Melike Göksu, whose release has been blocked for the fourth time, recalled that his own release had been blocked three times while he was in prison, saying: “This only applies to political prisoners.”
The protest by 185 workers who were sacked for being union members is now in its 146th day at the Port of Mersin. The workers, noting that they will be spending Eid al-Adha unemployed and in debt, have called for their trade union rights to be recognised.
Turkey Today – 25.05.2026
During his meeting with the İmralı delegation, Abdullah Öcalan stated regarding the attacks on the CHP “Breaking down the door of a political party headquarters with a sledgehammer be something acceptable in a democracy? The practices directed against the CHP and the developments taking place are related to the absence of a properly functioning democracy and democratic politics.”
The DEM Party met with CHP Leader Özgür Özel following the ruling of “absolute nullity”.
The Constitutional Court has annulled several provisions of Article 134 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which regulates the searching, copying, and seizure of computers, computer programs, and computer files, finding them unconstitutional.
President Erdoğan has issued a decree reopening İstanbul Bilgi University, according to today’s Official Gazzette. The latest decree repeals the one published on 22 May.
MHP Deputy Chair Feti Yıldız has removed his post regarding the ‘absolute nullity’ ruling. In his post, Yıldız had stated that the court had exceeded its authority with the absolute nullity ruling.
Turkey Weekly 18 – 24 May 2026
Turkey Today – 24.05.2026
Police today stormed the headquarters of the CHP in Ankara following a court decision ousting the party’s leadership. Pepper spray was also used during the raid.
Ozgür Özel left the party headquarters and walked to the Grand National Assembly. He was accompanied by a large number of citizens. Despite the hailstorm, the crowd made their way through the barricades and reached the Assembly.
The ruling on “absolute nullity” and the police intervention were protested in many cities.
The co-leaders of the DEM Party, Tülay Hatimoğulları and Tuncer Bakırhan, have condemned the police’s forced entry into the CHP headquarters.
Members of the DEM Party İmralı delegation travelled to İmralı Island to meet with Abdullah Öcalan.
Police attacked Bilgi University students who were protesting following the closure of their university.
Turkey Today – 23.05.2026
CHP chair Özgür Özel called on Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu to convene the Executive Committee on the condition that a party congress be held within 40 days.
Özgür Özel has been re-elected as CHP Group Leader.
DEM Party spokesperson Ayşegül Doğan, who has spoken out against attempts to reshape the political landscape through judicial means, emphasised that the ruling declaring the CHP ‘null and void’ was intended to cast a shadow over the process.
The condition of Daveti Tan, a 61-year-old prisoner suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, is steadily deteriorating. Held in a solitary cell and receiving no treatment, Tan can no longer recognise his children.
Saturday Mothers gathered at Galatasaray Square in week 1104 and demanded to know the fate of Piro Ay, who went missing whilst in custody in 1994. Pervin Buldan, who took part in the protest, said, “A peace with dignity will only be achieved when the missing are found and the perpetrators are brought to justice.”
In a joint statement regarding the ruling on “absolute nullity”, the CHP mayors of major cities stated that they stand by Party Leader Özgür Özel and the party leadership.
Whilst the debate over “absolute nullity” within the CHP continues, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu’s press adviser, Atakan Sönmez, has stated that no dismissals or appointments have been made regarding provincial and district organisations.
Students, academics, and university workers gathered on campus to protest the closure of İstanbul Bilgi University following a presidential decree.
An audio recording reportedly belonging to Umut Altaş, who was detained in the US as part of the Gülistan Doku investigation, has come to light. The recording contains the statements: “I have everything I need to close the case. I have all the evidence in my possession.”
Turkey Today – 22.05.2026
Justice Minister Akın Gürlek has said that the court decision annulling the 2023 congress of CHP, which saw a leadership change, “reinforced citizens’ trust in democracy.”
The Supreme Election Board has rejected the CHP’s objection regarding the court ruling.
CHP chair Özgür Özel said that the court ruling was not only an attack on CHP, but also a coup against the will of the people and democracy. Özel stated, “We will not surrender to this coup.”
Speaking on the revocation of Istanbul Bilgi University’s operating licence by presidential decree, Prof. Dr. İzzet Özgenç said, “A university’s legal existence cannot be terminated by a presidential decree.”
A joint response to the decision regarding the CHP’s 38th Ordinary Congress has been issued by 69 bar associations.
Of the 110 people detained in an operation targeting ISIS in three provinces centred on Istanbul, 83 have been referred to the court with a request for their detention.
Turkey Today – 21.05.2026
The Ankara Regional Court of Justice 36th Civil Chamber ordered the temporary removal of CHP Chair Özgür Özel and the party administration. The court also ruled that former leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and his executive team take over the party leadership.
Lawyers for Freedom Association (ÖHD) member Cevat Yılmaz has said prisoners in Van F-Type Prison reported violence and death threats during meetings with legal representatives. Prison authorities denied the allegations.
Following the decision to release journalist Alican Uludağ, press organisations made a statement outside Ankara Courthouse, stating that their struggle was not over and declaring, “The struggle will continue until not a single journalist remains in prison.”
Following a ruling by the Ankara 36th Regional Court of Appeal, Gürsel Tekin, the CHP’s interim administrator in Istanbul, has been relieved of his duties. Gülsüm Hale Özcömert Coşkun has been appointed as the provincial chair.
The Turkish and Kurdish X accounts of the Mesopotamia Agency have been blocked in Turkey by the BTK.
Turkey Today – 20.05.2026
Eren Baskın, who has been campaigning for 34 years to bring his murdered father’s killers to justice, stressed that the commission set up by the Ministry of Justice must investigate all unsolved murders.
The 223 municipal workers dismissed by the apointed trustee in Van continued their protest on the 296th day of their campaign.
Press organisations have issued a call ahead of the trial of detained journalist Alican Uludağ, due to take place tomorrow, demanding the release of detained journalists.
The Suruç Families Initiative commemorated the 33 young people who lost their lives in the bomb attack carried out by ISIS at the Amara Cultural Centre with events organised to mark the 130th month since the massacre.
Turkey Today – 19.05.2026
Twenty people who were arrested after taking part in Newroz celebrations in Ağrı have been released following an appeal against their detention
Fevzi Arslan, a seriously ill prisoner being held at Adana Suluca Prison alongside his two brothers, suffered a heart attack following an intervention by prison guards during a family visit.
One person has been arrested as part of an investigation into allegations that university students were sexually harassed at a guesthouse in the Fethiye district of Muğla.
In a statement issued on 17 May regarding the foetuses found in a plastic barrel at the New Cemetery, the Urfa Medical Association emphasised the need for the investigation to be conducted effectively and transparently.
Turkey Today – 18.05.2026
The files concerning the lifting of parliamentary immunity for DBP Co-Chair Keskin Bayındır and CHP Leader Özgür Özel have been referred to a joint committee comprising members of the Parliament’s Constitution and Justice Committee.
Legal and human rights organisations have stated that prisoners at Van F and T-type prisons are being subjected to the demand that they “must not speak Kurdish”.
In a letter sent to ministers by the AKP Group Chairmanship, ministers were asked not to make any statements to the press prior to the party’s group meeting.The DEM Party Central Executive Board convened to discuss the Peace and Democratic Society Process and current developments.
The hearing in the case concerning the massacre in Gayrettepe, in which 29 workers lost their lives, has been adjourned until 10 July. Whilst the court ruled that the defendants should remain in custody, it rejected the families’ requests for new expert witnesses and site inspections.
Ersin Beyaz, an MP for the İYİP in Istanbul, has announced his resignation from the party.
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Turkey Weekly 11 – 17 May 2026
Turkey Today – 17.05.2026
DEM Party organized marches in several cities under the slogan “Take a Step for Peace,” demanding legal and political steps within the framework of the Peace and Democratic Society Process.
On the first day of the International Week of Action Against Enforced Disappearances, human rights defenders gathered in Istanbul, Hakkari and Dersim.
CHP chair Özgür Özel criticised the government’s policies at the “Standing Up for the Will of the People” rally held in Balıkesir. He said “They rely on prosecutors; we rely on the streets.”
Live broadcasting on Flash Haber TV, which was transferred to the TMSF as part of a money laundering investigation, has come to an end, and the channel has switched to archive content.
Turkey Today – 16.05.2026
Seriously ill prisoner Abdülmenaf Aytaç is not being released despite his worsening health conditions and an official report stating that he is 65 percent disabled.
Journalist Yelis Ayaz, who reported on allegations that the son of AKP MP for Aydın, Seda Sarıbaş, had brought a gun to his school, has been arrested.
In their gathering at Galatasaray Square in week 1103, Saturday Mothers demanded to know the fate of Halil and Kasım Alpsoy, who were disappeared whilst in custody 32 years ago, and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.
President Erdoğan said, “Some of our colleagues who were threatened, pressured and subjected to insults by CHP officials have found peace within the AK Party and have joined our ranks.”
New appointments and changes of post have been made in certain departments of the Istanbul Police Department.
Turkey Today – 15.05.2026
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has ruled that the 2016 detention of Kurdish politician Ayla Akat Ata was unlawful and Turkey violated Ata’s rights by targeting her for political activities.
The Kurdish writer Yıldız Çakar, who was detained at Istanbul Airport upon her arrival from Germany, was released after giving a statement to the public prosecutor’s office.
According to the results of a field survey conducted by the SAMER Field Research Centre in 16 provinces across the region between 2 and 5 May 2026,
the proportion of those who said they had confidence in the process stood at 39.1 per cent overall.
MPs from the DEM Party raised the case of Şeyhmus Demir, who was 70 per cent disabled and died at Diyarbakır No. 3 T-Type Closed Prison, in Parliament.
In the indictment relating to the Burdur Municipality investigation, prison sentences of up to three years and six months have been sought for 51 individuals, including Burdur Mayor Ali Orkun Ercengiz, former Mayor Sebahattin Akkaya and AKP Burdur Provincial Chairman Mustafa Özboyacı.
Turkey Today – 14.05.2026
DEM Party MP Nevroz Uysal Aslan submitted a petition to the Speaker of Parliament requesting that Kurdish statements be recorded in their original form and under the heading ‘Kurdish’ in the minutes of the General Assembly and parliamentary committees.
The “Pollen Trial” of food engineer Dr. Bülent Şık, who is being sued by BEE’O over his warnings about health risks related to herbal and bee products during the pandemic, was held in İstanbul. The court ruled that the defendants had engaged in “unfair competition” against BEE’O’s trademark rights, ordering them to pay TRY 50,000 in pecuniary damages with commercial interest, as well as TRY 1 in non-pecuniary damages.
Journalist Reyhan Hacıoğlu has been sentenced to four years and two months in prison in the trial in which she was charged with “membership of an organisation”.
The 10th hearing in the trial of journalist Barış Terkoğlu on charges of “insulting a public official,” filed following a complaint by former Istanbul Regional Court of Appeals Chief Prosecutor Hadi Salihoğlu, was held in Istanbul. Trial adjourned until January.
The fourth hearing in the trial of Etkin News Agency (ETHA) reporter Züleyha Müldür and two others on charges of “membership in an organization” and “making propaganda for an organization” was held in Istanbul. Trial adjourned until July.
In a statement marking the third anniversary of Can Atalay’s detention, the TİP addressed Numan Kurtulmuş, Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly; it called for steps to be taken to secure Atalay’s release, despite the fact that he remains in prison despite the rulings of the Constitutional Court.
Murat Kapki, who has been accused of acting as “Imamoğlu’s financial manager” and “paying bribes” in the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality case, stated that he had generated significant revenue for the AKP-led Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality.
MHP Deputy Chairman Semih Yalçın announced that the party’s provincial executive in Malatya had also been dismissed. This brings the total number of provincial executives dissolved to 12.
Turkey Today – 13.05.2026
The CHP and the DEM Party met in the parliament to discuss the crackdown on the opposition and the Peace and Democratic Society Process.
Turkish citizens ranked first among those deported from European Union countries to third countries in 2025, according to data released by Eurostat. A total of 13,405 Turkish nationals were returned following administrative decisions.
Koray Kesik, cinematographer of the documentary Bakur was sentenced Koray Kesik to & prison on charges of “making terrorist propaganda” (Article 7/2 of the Anti-Terror Law). The court later reduced the sentence to 1 year & 13 months.
At the hearing in the trial of Yusuf Acar, who subjected 12 children to abuse in Şırnak, the prosecutor delivered a closing statement calling for his punishment.
An indictment has been drawn up against the detained Mayor of Gaziosmanpaşa, Hakan Bahçetepe, and eight other suspects, some 11 months later. Two families who lost relatives in the Suruç massacre were sentenced to prison for allegedly insulting the court during a hearing they attended.
Details have emerged of the indictment drawn up against 19 people, including the Mayor Tanju Özcan, as part of an investigation into ‘financial crimes’ at Bolu Municipality. A prison sentence of between 90 years and 3 months and 263 years and 6 months has been sought for Özcan.
Turkey Today – 12.05.2026
The trial of Mehmet Türkmen, the detained president of BİRTEK-SEN, was held in Gaziantep. Whilst the prosecution sought a prison sentence, the court acquitted Türkmen.
The Social Peace and Freedom Forum, organised by Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality, has started.
CHP councillor Anıl Yetişkin was interrupted whilst speaking at the Aydın Metropolitan Municipality Council; meanwhile, a member of the press was prevented by municipal police from filming.
President Erdoğan pinned the badge on Burcu Köksal, the Mayor of Afyonkarahisar, who had defected from the CHP to the AKP.
Villagers staging a sit-in protest against the geothermal power plant project in Varto have decided to continue their protest despite the district governor’s office calling for the tents to be removed. The villagers have demanded an official letter confirming the cancellation of the project.
Turkey Today – 11.05.2026
It has been reported that relatives of prisoners visiting Samsun Bafra T-Type Closed Prison were subjected to strip searches.
Esra Işık, a resident of İkizköy who was arrested for protesting against the site inspection carried out in connection with the urgent expropriation decision in Milas, has been released.
Two of the six people detained following the ODTÜ Spring Festivals have been remanded in custody. The grounds cited were “publicly insulting the symbols of state sovereignty”.
The first hearing in the trial of TELE1 Editor-in-Chief Merdan Yanardağ, jailed Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and campaign director Necati Özkan on charges of “political espionage” was held today. The hearing was adjourned until tomorrow.
An indictment has been prepared against comedian Tuba Ulu following a joke about Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent made during a stand-up performance.
The Ministry of Health has announced that the test results for the three citizens brought to Turkey from the ship that was evacuated due to the hanta virus have come back negative.
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Turkey Today – 03.05.2026
Felicity Party (Saadet Partisi) MP Bülent Kaya criticized the government for linking legal steps in the peace process to the “complete disarmament” of all parties, stating: “We argued that legal regulations should come into play at a crucial stage in order to establish the legal framework for disarmament.”
Sırrı Süreyya Önder, a member of the DEM Party’s Imralı delegation, was commemorated at his grave on the first anniversary of his death. In the speeches delivered, it was stated that peace would one day surely be achieved.
Thousands of people with disabilities took part in the Pride March for People with Disabilities, organised by Amed Metropolitan Municipality and the district councils to highlight the right of people with disabilities to an equal and accessible life.
Following the appointment of an administrator, the lawyers representing TELE1, which was subsequently put up for sale, have appealed to the Constitutional Court, arguing that the transaction is unlawful.
CHP spokesperson Zeynel Emre announced that Özkan Yalım, the mayor of Uşak who had been arrested and suspended from office, had been expelled from the party.
Speaking at the ‘School of Politics’ programme organised in collaboration with Istanbul University, where Ekrem İmamoğlu’s degree was revoked, Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said, “This nation speaks through the ballot box and reaffirms its will.”
Turkey Today – 02.05.2026
It has been reported that the term of office of the administrator appointed to replace Mardin’s elected mayor, Ahmet Türk, has been extended by two months. Türk’s lawyer stated that they had not received any information regarding the decision.
Saturday Mothers gathered at Galatasaray Square in week 1101 and demanded justice for Mehmet Şerif Avşar, who was taken away in Diyarbakır 32 years ago on the pretext that he had to give a statement, and whose body was found two weeks later.
In the election for the presidency of the Union of Turkish Municipalities, Vahap Seçer, Mayor of Mersin Metropolitan Municipality, was elected President.
This year, the World Press Freedom Awards, presented annually by the Press Council, were awarded to journalist Merdan Yanardağ, the Tele2 workers and the Onlar TV team.
DNA samples were taken from 415 people in the Rojin Kabaiş investigation at the family’s request.
The Decree on the Decade of Family and Population, published in the Official Gazette, targets the struggle for equality by women and the LGBTI community, whilst signalling further restrictions on civil rights and freedom of expression in the coming period.
According to the decree issued by President Erdoğan, a total grant of 30 million dollars will be provided to Somalia, with monthly payments not exceeding 2.5 million dollars.
Turkey Today – 01.05.2026
The Istanbul Governor’s Office announced that 575 people attempting to reach Taksim Square had been detained.
Prisoner Tuğçenur Özbay, whose most basic rights have been restricted on the grounds that she refused to accept the “prisoner identity card” application, has been on a hunger strike for 93 days. Her lawyer Doğa İncesu stated that her client has dropped below 46 kilograms.
The investigation into the case of Gülistan Doku has been concluded, with inspectors appointed by the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Health having completed their work. The report has been submitted to the Erzurum Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.
DEM Party MP Pervin Buldan visited the former HDP Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş at Edirne Prison.