10-16 August 2026
Arbitrary Detention and Arrest
Throughout the week, prosecutors ordered the detention of at least 4 people over alleged links to the Gülen movement. In October 2020, a UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) opinion said that widespread or systematic imprisonment of individuals with alleged links to the group may amount to crimes against humanity. Solidarity with OTHERS has compiled a detailed database to monitor the Gülen-linked mass detentions since a failed coup in July 2016.
12 August: Opposition lawmaker Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu raised concerns over former teacher and mother of four Hacer Kılıç, who is serving a terrorism sentence over alleged Gülen movement links amid reported poor conditions in Aksaray Prison and prolonged separation from her children.
14 August: Turkish authorities accused activist Leylanur Mavili of membership in a terrorist organization over a protest banner and remarks criticizing poverty and government policies during the July NATO summit in Ankara; she was detained for four days and released under judicial supervision.
Enforced Disappearances
No news has emerged of Yusuf Bilge Tunç, a former public sector worker who was sacked from his job by a decree-law during the 2016-2018 state of emergency and who was reported missing as of August 6, 2019, in what appears to be one of the latest cases in a string of suspected enforced disappearance of government critics since 2016.
Freedom of Assembly and Association
10 August: Miners from Eti Gümüş and Doruk Mining were detained in Ankara while protesting outside the Energy Ministry over months of unpaid wages, severance pay and other employment entitlements.
12 August: The Ankara Governor’s Office imposed a 15-day ban on demonstrations and public gatherings across the capital amid ongoing protests by mine workers, veterans and relatives of fallen soldiers.
Freedom of Expression and Media
13 August: Turkish prosecutors launched a new obscenity investigation into singer Mabel Matiz over the lyrics and music video of “Ha Leylim,” three months after he was acquitted of similar charges concerning another song.
14 August: Turkey’s broadcasting regulator RTÜK imposed 41 sanctions in the first half of 2026, including 39 fines totaling about TL 112 million ($2.3 million), targeting television, radio and digital media outlets over broadcast and online content.
Judicial Independence & Rule of Law
10 August: Turkey’s state-owned Halkbank and VakıfBank spent a combined TL 3.38 billion ($70.8 million) on advertising and announcements in the first half of 2026, a 43 percent increase compared with the same period in 2025.
10 August: Human rights groups called on Turkish authorities to address the continuing consequences of post-2016 emergency decrees, citing mass dismissals, ongoing investigations, professional restrictions and the need to fully implement ECtHR judgments.
Prison Conditions
11 August: Turkey’s prison population has reached 433,520, exceeding official capacity by 128,564 and pushing prison occupancy to about 142 percent according to the Ministry of Justice data.
Torture and Ill-Treatment
10 August: Cancer patient İbrahim Halil Al, imprisoned over alleged Gülen movement links, has reportedly gone five months without treatment as delays in medical assessments stall consideration of suspending his sentence on health grounds.
14 August: German activist Paula Maier alleged that she was raped by a Turkish official and subjected to other abuse while detained at an İstanbul removal center in January, prompting rights groups to call for an investigation.
Women’s Rights
13 August: Women’s rights groups say inadequate public support, funding shortages and weak implementation of protection mechanisms are making it increasingly difficult for women in Turkey to escape domestic violence.
