German activist Paula Maier alleges sexual assault in Istanbul detention center

German activist Paula Maier has alleged that she was sexually assaulted by a Turkish official while being held in a removal center in Istanbul. Maier was part of a 16-member international delegation that traveled to Turkey in January 2026 to protest attacks against civilians in Rojava, Northeast Syria, and to show solidarity with the Kurdish people.

The delegation was detained in Mardin while traveling to a press conference and subsequently transferred to Istanbul for deportation. Maier reported being held in a single-person cell during the deportation process when the assault occurred. Other members of the group reported experiencing physical and psychological violence, sleep deprivation, insults, and threats.

The Federation of Class Struggle Organizations (FKO) and TJK-E have issued statements condemning the incident. TJK-E called for a legal investigation to identify those responsible, stating that such violence against women should not be treated as an isolated incident but as a systemic issue. The German Foreign Ministry previously indicated it was aware of the initial detentions and was working through its diplomatic channels in Ankara and Istanbul to clarify the situation.