Turkish security forces detained 209 people in raids across the capital on Tuesday, citing suspected links to extremist groups ahead of a major NATO summit scheduled for July. The operation, which involved police and gendarmerie forces, was part of sweeping security measures planned for the arrival of U.S. President Donald Trump and leaders from the 32-member alliance for the July 7-8 summit in Ankara.
Officials stated that 241 suspects were targeted by detention orders, with 209 taken into custody. The statement from the chief prosecutor’s office indicated that among those detained were 56 alleged members of the Islamic State group and 35 individuals associated with the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front, a far-left organization known for attacks in Turkey. Raids were ongoing to apprehend the remaining suspects.
However, some media outlets reported that the detained individuals included politicians, lawyers, and an LGBTQ activist, raising concerns about the pretext of security operations. These reports fueled allegations of arbitrary detentions and claims that the government may be using the summit as justification to silence critics and suppress potential anti-NATO demonstrations.
The pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party, DEM, criticized the detentions, stating, “This arbitrary wave of detentions and arrests targeting leftist and socialist institutions once again reveals the state the country has reached.” The party added, “Turning Ankara into a giant prison with bans imposed for the NATO Summit is unacceptable.”
This is not the first large-scale security sweep in Turkey. Last month, authorities detained 324 individuals suspected of Islamic State ties in a nationwide operation. The Islamic State group has been responsible for numerous deadly attacks in Turkey, including a 2017 New Year's shooting at an Istanbul nightclub that resulted in 39 fatalities.
Turkey is implementing stringent security protocols for the upcoming summit, which include prohibitions on demonstrations and restrictions on road access near airports and the summit venue. Hotels housing delegations are also subject to enhanced security measures.