Release Enes Hocaoğulları! Youth activism and freedom of expression should never be punished
The European Youth Forum and the National Youth Council of Türkiye (GoFor) unequivocally condemn the arrest of Enes Hocaoğulları, LGBTI+ activist and Youth Delegate to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe.
Together with:
Enes was selected as a youth delegate to the Congress on 14 February 2025. In March, during the 48th Session of the Congress, he delivered four oral statements on topics ranging from the state of local and regional democracy in Georgia, combating homelessness in cities and towns, and the unjust dismissal of mayors in Türkiye. His remarks, delivered in a spirit of civic engagement and democratic accountability, received widespread attention and support.
However, shortly after, Enes became the target of an orchestrated smear campaign. Pro-government media and online actors distorted his remarks, branding them as espionage and fuelling a defamation campaign. Once his affiliation with ÜniKuir became known, the attacks intensified and expanded into a broader narrative that sought to delegitimise LGBTI+ organisations and youth civil society.
Upon his return to Turkey yesterday, the campaign escalated into criminal proceedings and culminated with his detention in the airport in Ankara. Enes is currently imprisoned, awaiting trial.
He faces multiple investigations under various articles of the Turkish Penal Code, including ‘inciting hatred and hostility’, ‘spreading misleading information’, and ‘insulting the Turkish nation’. These charges are politically motivated, aimed not at justice but at forcefully silencing the voice of a young activist committed to democratic values. His arrest is not an isolated incident; it is part of a wider pattern of repression against young activists, LGBTI+ communities, and civil society actors across Turkey.
Standing in full solidarity with Enes Hocaoğullar, we, the European Youth Forum and the National Youth Council of Türkiye (GoFor):
- Call for the unconditional release of Enes Hocaoğulları and for him not to be subjected to further judicial harassment.
Strongly affirm that his speech is protected under the right to freedom of expression, particularly under art. 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which Turkey has the duty to uphold.
Express our deep concern to the Council of Europe. As a leading institution in the defence of human rights, the Council has the duty to ensure that the youth delegates participating in its processes are safeguarded; the failure to protect Enes must be urgently addressed at the highest levels.
Urge the Council of Europe to take immediate steps to rectify this situation and to reaffirm its commitment to youth participation without fear of reprisal.
We will continue to fight for youth spaces that are open, democratic, and safe. No young person should face prosecution for participating in a democratic dialogue and no activist should be punished for standing up for their values.
To all young people in Türkiye who raise their voices for justice, dignity, and equality: we see you, we support you, and we will never stop defending your right to be heard.
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