Turkey readies Ankara for NATO summit, restricts journalists and camouflages poor districts

In the weeks leading up to the NATO summit scheduled for 7‑8 July in Ankara, Turkish authorities have imposed a series of security and aesthetic measures. Public parks are temporarily closed, facades of houses along the official protocol route are being painted, and large barriers are erected to conceal slums and disadvantaged neighbourhoods, aiming to present a "clean" image for visiting leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron.

At the same time, NATO has denied accreditation to dozens of Turkish journalists, chiefly from independent and opposition outlets including Cumhuriyet, Sözcü, Halk TV, Anka and T24. NATO said the decision follows the assessment of the host nation. Press‑freedom groups and the Turkish Journalists’ Union criticised the lack of transparency, with journalist Deniz Zehirek calling the move “shameful”. The summit will host leaders of the alliance’s 32 member states and partners from the Gulf and Asia‑Pacific regions.

Both the city‑wide preparations and the journalist‑accreditation dispute reflect the Turkish government's effort to control the international image of the summit while facing scrutiny over press‑freedom standards.