Pro-Palestinian activists arrested in Türkiye for allegedly insulting the president

On November 29, 2024, nine pro-Palestinian activists were arrested in Turkey for protesting against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ongoing trade relations with Israel amid the Gaza conflict. The incident occurred during Erdoğan’s speech at an international event organized by Turkish state broadcaster TRT in İstanbul[1][2].

The Protest

Two activists from the Direniş Çadırı (Resistance Tent) group interrupted Erdoğan’s speech by shouting “Ships are carrying bombs to Gaza.” Five other activists chanted slogans outside the forum venue, and two more were accused of aiding them. All nine were subsequently taken into custody[1].

Charges and Arrest

The protesters were initially held at the İstanbul Security Directorate in Fatih before being transferred to the İstanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan. The prosecutor charged them with:

1. “Insulting the president”
2. “Violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations”

Following the prosecutor’s request, a judge ordered their detention pending trial[1][3].

Criticism and Reactions

The arrests have sparked widespread condemnation from various quarters:

• Opposition politicians: İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and CHP chairman Özgür Özel criticized the government’s intolerance toward peaceful dissent[2].
• Political parties: The Felicity Party and Future Party denounced the detentions as unjust and called for an urgent parliamentary debate[2].
• Activists: Organizations like Filistin İçin Bin Genç Platformu and Direniş Çadırı Platformu rallied outside the Çağlayan Courthouse, decrying the crackdown on dissent[2].

Context: Turkey-Israel Trade Relations

The protest highlights the ongoing controversy surrounding Turkey’s trade relations with Israel:

• Turkey announced restrictions on trade with Israel in April 2024 and claimed all trade had ceased by May[1].
• However, reports indicate that exports continue, allegedly under the guise of being destined for Palestine[1].
• Critics claim that Turkey circumvents its own sanctions to continue shipments, including oil from Azerbaijan’s Baku-Ceyhan pipeline[1][2].

The arrests have raised concerns about the state of democracy and freedom of expression in Turkey, with many viewing the action as an attempt to stifle dissent and maintain controversial trade practices despite public condemnation of Israel’s actions in Gaza[2][3].

Citations:

1. Court arrests nine pro-Palestinian activists who protested Erdoğan over trade with Israel – Bianet
2. Erdoğan accused of stifling dissent with arrests of 9 who protested trade with Israel – Turkish Minute
3. 9 arrested for confronting Erdoğan about ongoing trade with Israel – Turkish Minute
4. Turkish court arrests 9 protestors for disrupting President Erdoğan’s speech – Duvar English
5. Turkish court jails protesters over Erdoğan speech disruption – Reuters