The Global Student Forum condemns the arrest and detention of Enes Hocaoğulları, youth delegate to the Council of Europe and LGBTI+ rights defender from Türkiye. Enes was arrested on 4 August upon his return to Ankara, facing charges of “publicly disseminating misleading information” – charges that stem from a speech he delivered during the Council of Europe Congress in March 2025. His intervention, addressing the dismissal of elected mayors in Türkiye, was legitimate political expression in an international human rights forum. We are deeply concerned that the charges may be linked to his participation in this process. It raises serious questions about respect for the European Convention on Human Rights, to which Türkiye is a party. We fear for his safety and well-being in detention and reject any attempt to silence dissent. We call on GSF members, partners, and allies to act now:
- Contact your national governments and foreign ministries urging them to raise this case with the Turkish authorities and demand Enes’s unconditional release.
- Engage the Council of Europe, the EU, and relevant UN bodies to take immediate diplomatic action.
- Amplify Enes’s case on social media using your organisational channels to demand #FreeEnes and defend freedom of expression.
- Stand in solidarity with LGBTI+, youth, and human rights defenders in Türkiye by sharing this alert and mobilising your networks.
