Turkey intensifies crackdown on public life in run-up to Nato summit in Ankara

<p>More than 200 arrested in raids, comedian and journalists jailed, gay-friendly cruise turned away and protests banned</p><p>Authorities in Turkey have widened a crackdown on public life, arresting more than 200 people during raids across Ankara last month, jailing a comedian and blocking a cruise ship carrying LGBTQ+ passengers from docking in the run-up to the Nato summit in the capital.</p><p>The arrests followed a ban on demonstrations in Ankara that was put in place until 10 July. Human Rights Watch (HRW) <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/06/25/turkiye-crackdown-ahead-of-nato-summit">said</a> this was evidence of Turkey’s “ruthless intolerance of freedom of speech and assembly”. The watchdog group said the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/06/ukraine-war-briefing-trump-to-meet-zelenskyy-at-nato-summit-as-us-says-battlefield-progress-frozen">Nato summit</a>, which starts on Tuesday, was taking place in the context of intensifying violations of basic rights, “including far-reaching restrictions on the main political opposition party, the media, and freedom of expression in general”.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/06/turkey-crackdown-public-life-run-up-nato-summit-ankara">Continue reading...</a>