Turkey: Yonca Şık detained on espionage charges

Yonca Verdioğlu Şık, the wife of Workers Party of Turkey (TİP) Istanbul MP Ahmet Şık, was detained from her home in Beyoğlu, Istanbul, on Tuesday. Authorities stated she is being investigated for “political or military espionage.” Following a health check, she was taken to the Istanbul Courthouse to provide a statement to prosecutors.

TİP leadership, including Chairman Erkan Baş and MP Sera Kadıgil, have condemned the detention as a politically motivated attempt to pressure Ahmet Şık. They claim the move follows Şık’s parliamentary inquiries and social media activity regarding a “fund robbery” scandal involving allegations of misappropriated public funds.

Party officials also noted that Şık’s associate, Ahmet Saymadi, was recently arrested, and they allege that judicial actions are being used to target the MP’s family members to silence his investigations into the Ministry of Justice. TİP has announced plans to hold a vigil at the courthouse in protest.