Turkish police arrested 23-year-old youth activist Enes Hocaogullari on Tuesday night after his return from France, where he had delivered a critical speech about Turkey’s government at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg.
He was detained at Esenboga Airport in Ankara, according to his lawyer.
Hocaogullari, also known for his advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights, had spoken at the Council in March, raising concerns about police violence and what he described as growing authoritarianism in Turkey.
Court documents cited by Reuters show that he is accused of “publicly spreading misleading information” and “inciting hatred and enmity.”
His arrest is the latest in a series of detentions targeting critics of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Over the past nine months, more than 500 individuals, including opposition members, have reportedly been detained.
Turkey remains a member of the Council of Europe, which promotes human rights across its 46 member states.
Following Hocaogullari’s arrest, the Council’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities issued a statement demanding his release.
The statement described his detention as an unacceptable action against someone who expressed views in a democratic setting.
It also criticized Turkey’s ongoing pressure on opposition voices, including elected representatives.
The main opposition party, CHP, is facing increasing pressure, with growing concern from international observers over the state of political freedoms in Turkey.
Hocaogullari’s detention marks another development in what rights groups say is a broader campaign to silence dissent ahead of local and national elections.