DistantNews
Support us
Reaction to 10-day protest ban in Eskişehir
🇹🇷 Turkey /Culture & Society

Reaction to 10-day protest ban in Eskişehir

From Cumhuriyet · () Turkish

Translated from Turkish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Authorities in Eskişehir, Turkey, have banned public gatherings for 10 days, citing security concerns for an upcoming NATO summit in Ankara.
  • Local organizations, including the Atatürkist Thought Association, criticize the ban as a violation of freedom of expression and assembly.
  • Protesters state their opposition to NATO and their commitment to secular, democratic Turkey, invoking Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

A 10-day ban on public gatherings in Eskişehir has sparked strong criticism from local civil society groups. The Eskişehir Governorate cited security measures for the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara as the reason for the prohibition.

We do not accept this decision, which prevents the constitutional rights of expression and organization.

— Mehmet AvciSpeaking at a press conference, the head of the ADD Eskişehir branch criticized the ban on public gatherings.

Mehmet Avci, head of the Eskişehir branch of the Atatürkist Thought Association (ADD), along with members from the Association for the Support of Contemporary Life (ÇYDD) and the Education Workers' Union (Eğitim İş), held a press conference to voice their objections. Avci stated that while the NATO meeting is in Ankara, the ban in Eskişehir disrupts public life and basic services, creating conditions akin to a state of emergency.

We are against NATO, which turns our country into a part of imperialist powers. No to NATO. No to bans.

— Mehmet AvciAvci voiced the organizations' opposition to the military alliance and the restrictions on public assembly.

"We do not accept this decision, which prevents the constitutional rights of expression and organization," Avci declared. The protesting organizations, including ADD, ÇYDD, and Eğitim İş, are formally objecting to the ban. They also expressed their opposition to NATO, calling it a tool of "imperialist powers," and affirmed their commitment to Atatürk's path and the preservation of a secular, democratic, and social state of law in Turkey. They rallied under the slogans "No to NATO" and "No to bans."

We will continue to walk the path of our great leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who said 'Independence is my character.'

— Mehmet AvciAvci invoked the founder of the Turkish Republic to emphasize their commitment to national sovereignty and democratic principles.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Cumhuriyet in Turkish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog