Turkish authorities have detained more than 100 people, including journalists, lawyers, and anti-NATO protesters, in a sweeping security operation ahead of the alliance's summit in Ankara on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Ankara governor's office has banned all public demonstrations until the summit concludes, and several independent media outlets have been denied accreditation to cover the event. The detentions, which began two weeks ago and intensified on Sunday, target a broad spectrum of critics: from the editor of an LGBT+ magazine to a popular stand-up comedian, from members of the Contemporary Jurists Association (CHD) to journalists from outlets such as T24 and Oda TV.

Turkish prosecutors describe the operations as part of routine counter-terrorism efforts, citing investigations into militant groups including the Islamic State and far-left organisations. The Ankara chief public prosecutor's office coordinated raids that netted 46 suspects on firearms-related charges, while earlier operations led to the arrest of 209 people for alleged links to jihadist and leftist groups. NATO officials, when asked about the exclusion of certain media, stated that accreditation decisions rest with the host country. The Turkish government has not publicly linked the detentions to the summit, but the timing and the simultaneous ban on protests have drawn scrutiny.

Opposition figures and rights organisations, however, view the crackdown as a deliberate attempt to silence dissent during a high-profile international gathering. Tuncer Bakirhan, co-chair of the pro-Kurdish DEM Party, described the situation as “undeclared martial law,” while Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the court-appointed chairman of the main opposition Republican People's Party, called the measures unacceptable. Erol Önderoglu, the Turkey representative of Reporters Without Borders, condemned “blind, arbitrary and disorderly operations” that threaten journalists' safety and reputation. Viewed from Berlin, the Social Democratic Party (SPD), a junior partner in Germany's governing coalition, has urged Chancellor Friedrich Merz to raise human rights concerns directly with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during the summit, with deputy parliamentary group leader Siemtje Möller stating that “the ongoing attacks on the opposition and the rule of law must be clearly addressed.”

The pre-summit detentions highlight the persistent tension between Turkey's role as a NATO member and its domestic human rights record. European diplomats have long balanced security cooperation with Ankara against concerns over democratic backsliding, and the summit was already expected to feature delicate discussions on burden-sharing and defence spending. The immediate fate of those detained remains uncertain; many have not been formally charged, and legal procedures are ongoing. The summit is set to open on Tuesday, with Chancellor Merz and other allied leaders facing calls to confront the host government over the crackdown, even as the official agenda focuses on collective defence and strategic challenges.