Turkey detains over 200 people ahead of NATO summit

Turkish authorities detained 209 people on Tuesday, 24 June 2026, in counter-terrorism operations. The arrests came a day after Ankara imposed restrictions on public gatherings in connection with the NATO summit scheduled for July. Opposition parties say the security measures are being used as a pretext to curtail democratic rights.

Turkish authorities in the capital Ankara detained 209 people on Tuesday, 24 June 2026, as part of counter-terrorism operations. The arrests came a day after Turkish officials imposed restrictions on public gatherings in connection with the NATO summit to be held the following month.

Operation ahead of summit

The Turkish government has justified the broad security measures as necessary to ensure the NATO meeting is conducted peacefully and securely. Ankara imposed restrictions on public gatherings on Monday, followed by large-scale detention operations across the country on Tuesday.

The specific details of the detentions and the identities of those arrested have not been made public, but Turkish authorities have cited violations of anti-terrorism legislation.

Opposition criticises government

Turkish opposition groups contend that the NATO summit is being used as a pretext to restrict democratic rights and civil liberties. According to their assessment, the true purpose of the security measures is to silence political dissent and limit the organisation of protests.

Critics have pointed out that such conduct raises questions about Turkey's alignment with NATO's democratic values on the eve of the alliance's summit.