Amid democratic backsliding, Will NATO 'raise concerns' over Turkey's crackdown on opposition?

For Spotlight, François Picard is pleased to welcome Barış Altıntaş, co-founder and co-director of the Media and Law Studies Association, providing pro-bono legal support to writers and journalists in Turkey. She warns of systemic democratic erosion across Turkey rooted in sustained institutional pressure. Rather than portraying recent arrests, prosecutions, and restrictions as exceptional responses to a particular political moment, the guest argues that they form part of a long-running and adaptable pattern in which different segments of society become targets according to changing political priorities. While the NATO summit may have intensified scrutiny and accelerated crackdowns, it is presented as a catalyst rather than a cause. A central tension running throughout the discussion is the gap between democratic rhetoric and democratic practice. The guest welcomes NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte's assertion that democracy extends beyond elections to encompass press freedom, public protest, and open political competition. Yet they argue that these principles must ultimately be judged by whether allies are willing to confront concrete cases of repression rather than merely articulate shared values. From the prosecution of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu to the detention of journalists, protesters and comedian Deniz Göktaş, the interview suggests that seemingly disparate events should be understood as interconnected manifestations of an increasingly restrictive political environment. The overarching analysis is therefore not simply that freedoms are under pressure, but that the normalisation of legal and administrative tools against political opponents, critics and cultural figures risks redefining the boundaries of permissible public life.
#NATO #Turkey #Erdogan

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