The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has filed a lawsuit against 45 people who participated in a press statement that was intended to be held at Kurtuluş Park on July 7 to protest the 36th NATO Summit of Heads of State and Government.
Among those facing charges are Halkevleri Chair Linda Sevinç Hocaoğulları, Workers' Party of Turkey (TİP) Ankara Provincial Chair Fırat Çoban, Labour Party (EMEP) Ankara Provincial Chair Rüstem Kahraman, and Labor Movement Party (EHP) Ankara Provincial Chair Öykü Ilgın Gürses.
The suspects have been charged with "participating unarmed in unlawful meetings and marches and failing to disperse despite warnings."
EMPHASIS ON GOVERNORATE BAN IN INDICTMENT
The indictment stated that in accordance with the decision taken at the NATO meeting held in The Hague, Netherlands, on June 24-25, 2025, it was decided that the 36th NATO meeting would be held in Ankara on July 7-8, 2026.
It was recalled that with a decision by the Ankara Governorate dated June 22, 2026, meetings, protest marches, press statements, protest actions, and similar events were banned across the city between June 28 and July 10. The indictment noted that law enforcement took precautions around Kızılay on July 7.
In the Chief Public Prosecutor's indictment, it was stated that a group affiliated with TİP and Halkevleri, who wanted to pass through Libya Street to reach Kurtuluş Park, chanted various slogans. It was alleged that law enforcement warned the groups to disperse, but the group did not disperse despite this.
The indictment stated that some suspects exercised their right to remain silent during their testimonies, while others did not accept the charges. The prosecution requested that the suspects be tried and punished in accordance with the relevant articles.
TİP Ankara Provincial Chair Fırat Çoban reacted to the lawsuit in a statement on his social media account. Stating that they were "unlawfully detained" in July, Çoban said, "We are honored. On November 11, we are the ones putting NATO and its local collaborators on trial."
News Source: 12punto
