Criticism of Erdogan's repression: 126 arrests in Izmir and Istanbul!

Criticism of Erdogan's repression: 126 arrests in Izmir and Istanbul!

Izmir, Türkei - On July 2, 2025, the SPÖ's foreign policy spokeswoman, Petra Bayr, expressed worrying criticism of the autocratic government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey. In the past few weeks, the situation for the political opposition has been drastically intensified. Officials from the Turkish state are now systematically acting against Erdogan opponents, especially in the cities of Izmir and Istanbul.
In Izmir, 126 people have been arrested in the past few days, including prominent representatives of the CHP, such as the former mayor Tunç Soyer. These arrests followed a great demonstration in Istanbul, which was directed against the detention of the mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. BayR described these measures as a targeted intimidation tactic, which aims to suppress the democratic opposition. The official justification for the arrests, such as allegations of corruption and presidential insult, have a constructed and politically motivated effect on many observers.

The current situation raises great questions about the integrity of the judicial system. Bayr criticized the judicial apparatus as a security tool and noted that violence against journalists and restrictions in freedom of assembly are alarming signs for the state of democracy in Turkey. She called for the immediate release of all politically motivated prisoners and an end to all unfounded allegations. In addition, she referred to Turkey's international obligations, especially with regard to membership in the Council of Europe.

creeping decay of human rights

The human rights situation in Turkey has continuously deteriorated in recent years. Reports from human rights organizations document torture and abuse in Turkish detention centers. The Human Rights Foundation TIHV as well as the Human Rights Association IHD and the Turkish Association TTB report on a worrying increase in torture cases since June 2023, despite the declared zero tolerance policy of the government.
According to a current report by the TIHV, the incidents of torture and abuse have accumulated. In 2022, 1,201 people turned to the TIHV and reported torture experiences, which illustrates the dramatic dimension of the problem. The alleged torture methods are varied and contain blows, humiliations, as well as psychological torture such as death threats. It is particularly worrying that very young and old people are also affected - the youngest known victim was only three years old, the oldest 76 years.

Political scientists like Prof. Savas Genc see Turkey increasingly as authoritarian, and report on an increase in torture cases, which are often made possible by the judiciary and security forces. Hakan Kaplankaya, a human rights expert, criticizes the new and brutal interrogation methods that were developed after the coup attempt in 2016. This shows the continuity and systematics of human rights violations in Turkey.

international law responsibility

Despite the massive criticism, the question of international response to Türkiye's behavior remains unclear. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has expressed similar concerns about ominous torture cases and demands the introduction of specific criminal offenses for torture. At the same time, there is a possibility that Turkey could threaten serious consequences if the judgment of the European Human Rights Court, such as the loss of voting rights in the Council of Europe. However, experts doubt that this will happen in view of the refugee situation in the region.
The illegal detention of human rights activists Osman Kavala, which was confirmed by the European Court of Human Rights, is another clear sign of disregard for fundamental human rights in Turkey. The Parliamentary Assembly of the European Council also called for the implementation of the judgment and the immediate release Kavala.