Human Rights Foundation: Four Freedom of Expression Violations by Police in One Week

The foundation stated that the violations occurred at a rate of one every 48 hours, and called on the police to act in accordance with human rights standards.

In its statement, KTİHV emphasized that freedom of expression is a cornerstone of democratic society and indispensable for both societal progress and individual development. While this right is protected under both the Constitution of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and established legal precedents, the foundation argued that recent developments show severe infringements in practice.

The first alleged violation occurred on 3 May, during the visit of the President of Turkey to the TRNC, when five individuals were detained for holding a banner reading “The Will Is Ours.” KTİHV described this intervention as a clear breach of freedom of expression and recalled a similar case in 2011, in which the courts had awarded compensation.

In the same week, journalists Ayşemden Akın and Emine Yüksel reportedly received death threats due to their reporting, but KTİHV said police failed to adequately address their requests for protection—an omission it also categorized as an infringement of free expression.

Another case involved a private individual who rented out billboard space displaying critical messages about members of parliament from the People's Party. The individual was reportedly summoned by police for allegedly infringing on the MPs’ private lives. KTİHV rejected this reasoning, pointing out that elected officials are public figures who must be open to criticism, and that such expressions do not constitute personal violations.

The fourth incident cited by KTİHV occurred during 1 May celebrations, when four individuals were detained for carrying a banner in Kurdish reading “Long Live May 1st.” The foundation described this as a serious threat to freedom of expression.

KTİHV underscored that in a democratic society, freedom of expression must not be subject to suppression or censorship. “Political figures, state institutions, and public individuals must be open to criticism. Even statements that are disturbing, offensive, or shocking must be protected—this is crucial for both human rights and democratic values,” the statement said.

Calling on the Police Organization to respect freedom of expression, KTİHV concluded by urging authorities to ensure that constitutional and international rights are upheld in practice.