A Turkish court on Friday put three members of the Sol (Left) Party under house arrest over a banner they hung in İstanbul, the Birgün daily reported.
The decision followed a request by the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, which sought the arrest of Enis Çiçek, a provincial executive of the Sol Party, along with party members Şükrü Çetin and Menevşe Alptekin, accusing them of “inciting hatred and enmity among the public.”
The charges stem from a banner the group hung in a public space in İstanbul’s Küçükçekmece district that read: “For a secular, revolutionary and democratic republic against sharia, fascism and darkness.”
The situation escalated after a passerby verbally confronted the party members while they were hanging the banner. Footage of the confrontation later circulated on social media, after which pro-government social media accounts targeted the individuals. The three were taken into custody on Thursday night.
The investigation has prompted criticism from opposition circles, who say the case reflects escalating restrictions on dissent and political expression in Turkey.
Turkey’s ongoing restrictions on fundamental rights and freedoms have been criticized by international organizations, such as the UN, the EU and the Council of Europe, and human rights groups, urging the government to cease violating international human rights standards and to restore key safeguards.
