Turkey detains 225, blocks journalists ahead of NATO summit

In the days before the NATO summit in Ankara (July 7‑8), Turkish police arrested 225 people, including academics, teachers, and activists, accusing many of links to groups labeled terrorist, such as the Islamic State and the DHKP‑C. The authorities also banned public gatherings, press conferences and poster displays in the capital and deployed about 40,000 police officers to secure the city.

Dozens of independent Turkish journalists were denied accreditation for the summit without explanation. The International Press Institute and 14 press‑freedom organisations sent a letter to NATO Secretary‑General Mark Rutte urging a review of the accreditation decisions. NATO spokeswoman Allison Hart said the alliance relies on the host nation’s assessment of media credentials but is monitoring the situation. Turkey now ranks 163 out of 180 on Reporters Without Borders’ press‑freedom index, the lowest among NATO members.