Allegations of abuse against activists in Turkey

A 16-member international delegation, including German activists, traveled to Southeast Turkey and North Kurdistan in January 2026 to visit Kurdish initiatives and protest attacks against civilians in Rojava. While traveling to a press conference near Mardin, the group was intercepted by military police and deportation authorities and subsequently transferred to Istanbul.

Following their detention, German activist Paula Maier alleged she was sexually assaulted by a security official while being held in a single-person cell during the deportation process. Other members of the delegation reported experiencing physical and psychological violence, including sleep deprivation, insults, and threats. The activists stated that such sexualized violence is frequently used as a tool against politically active women.

In response, the Federation of Class Struggle Organizations (FKO) has organized demonstrations in several German cities under the slogan ‘Your violence does not break us’. Political figures, including Cansu Özdemir of the Left Party, have called for an independent investigation. The German Foreign Ministry has indicated it is working through diplomatic channels in Ankara and Istanbul to clarify the situation.