Statement - Enes Hocaoğulları

I am deeply concerned by the arrest and ongoing detention of Enes Hocaoğulları, youth delegate to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe and young LGBTI+ activist and human rights defender, in Ankara on 4 August 2025. According to reports we have received from the EU youth organisations, his detention is linked to a speech he gave as a youth delegate during the March Plenary Sitting of the Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities.

The European Economic and Social Committee, which represents European civil society and recognizes the crucial role of youth in advancing democratic values and human rights, calls on the Turkish authorities to release Mr. Hocaoğulları without delay. As a member of the Council of Europe and an EU candidate country, Türkiye is expected to uphold the highest democratic standards, including the protection of fundamental freedoms and the rule of law.

Türkiye has a vibrant and active civil society. However, the ongoing erosion of democratic principles—particularly restrictions on freedom of expression—poses a serious threat to the country’s development. It also undermines the ability of human rights activists and civil society to serve as essential watchdogs, holding government actions to account.