Police Raid on Turkish Opposition Party Deepens Concerns over Political Repression
- Human Rights Research Center
- a few seconds ago
- 4 min read
Author: Raisa Hamlin
May 27, 2026
HRRC is concerned by the police raid on the headquarters of Türkiye’s main opposition party and by legal actions targeting CHP leadership. We urge Turkish authorities to respect democratic institutions and political freedoms in Türkiye.
![Republican People’s Party (CHP) former chairman Özgür Özel leading supporters in a march towards Turkish Parliament after police conducted a raid on CHP headquarters. [Image credit: EPA/Necati Sevas]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/f05ed1_0e1eaf0c7de843c986fc24fb9f30befc~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_51,h_29,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_avif,quality_auto/f05ed1_0e1eaf0c7de843c986fc24fb9f30befc~mv2.png)
Turkish police stormed the headquarters of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), the Turkish government’s main opposition party, on Sunday, May 24. Police reportedly fired tear gas and rubber bullets at CHP supporters and party officials gathered inside the building. The raid followed several days of protests that began after a Turkish court overturned the CHP’s internal leadership election and removed the party’s current leadership. The decision drew criticism from opposition leaders and several human rights and labor organizations, including Human Rights Watch, the Turkish Medical Association (TTP), the Confederation of Public Employees’ Trade Unions (KESK), and more than 70 Kurdish bar associations, many of which labeled the ruling as unjust and a threat to Turkish democracy.
The ruling removed CHP leader Özgür Özel and reinstated former party leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu as interim chairman. Kılıçdaroğlu previously led the CHP against current president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during the 2023 presidential election. On May 22, acting as the now court-appointed party leader, Kılıçdaroğlu fired three CHP lawyers who had filed an appeal against Özel’s removal. He then appointed new lawyers who immediately moved to withdraw the appeal.
In response to his ousting, Özel rejected the court’s decision and accused the judiciary of “staging a coup” on behalf of the government to weaken political opposition. He and other CHP officials refused to leave CHP headquarters in Ankara, Türkiye’s capital, and remained inside the building alongside supporters for several days. Crowds gathered outside while supporters barricaded entrances with buses and furniture as tensions increased between CHP members and police forces.
On Sunday, police forcibly entered the CHP headquarters and attempted to remove supporters and party members gathered inside. Local media footage reportedly showed riot police using tear gas in the courtyard and offices and firing rubber bullets while some supporters attempted to resist by spraying the officers with fire extinguishers. Video footage from inside the headquarters depicted police serving Özel with a court order, which he ripped up before heading outside. He then marched with supporters for eight kilometers (five miles) from the party’s headquarters toward Parliament, where he vowed to continue opposing efforts to interfere with CHP’s elected leadership.
The Turkish government has denied accusations of political interference. Officials from President Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) defended the court’s decision, arguing that it reflected the rule of law and served to address internal disputes within CHP. Turkish Justice Minister Akın Gürlek stated that the ruling reinforced public trust in democracy and in the legal system. Human Rights Watch criticized the court ruling, describing it as “the latest blow to democracy, law, and human rights” in Türkiye. The organization warned that interfering with the functioning of a political party could violate rights to freedom of association and free elections protected under the European Convention on Human Rights.
The court intervention and police raid have both intensified public concerns over political repression and democratic backsliding in Türkiye, with many viewing the removal of CHP leadership as politically motivated. Human Rights Watch stated that Erdoğan’s government is undermining Turkish democracy and called on authorities to protect democratic institutions and allow political parties to operate freely.
Glossary
Appeal: a legal request asking a higher court to review or change a previous court decision
Authorities: government officials or institutions responsible for enforcing law and maintaining order
Barricade: a barrier used to block movement or restrict access to an area
Chairman: a person leading or in charge of a meeting or organization
Civil liberties: basic rights and freedoms designed to protect citizens by law from government interference
Coup: to unlawfully seize power, overthrow, or remove leadership
Court-appointed: officially placed into a position or role through a court decision
Court ruling: an official legal decision made by a court or judge
Democratic backsliding: the gradual weakening of democratic institutions, rights and political freedoms within a country
Democratic institutions: organizations and systems that support democracy, including courts, elections, and political parties
Freedom of association: the right of individuals and groups to organize, gather, and participate in political parties, unions, or organizations without interference
Free elections: elections conducted fairly, openly, and without intimidation or interference
Headquarters: the main office or central location of an organization or political party
Human rights: the basic freedoms and protections that belong to every human being
Human Rights Watch: an international human rights organization that investigates and reports on human rights cases and abuses around the world
Interim: temporary or acting until a permanent decision exists
Internal leadership election: a vote held within an organization or political party to select leadership positions
Judiciary: the system of courts and judges responsible for interpreting and applying laws
Justice and Development Party (AKP): Türkiye’s largest and ruling political party led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The AKP is self-described as conservative democratic
Legal action: the use of legal processes such as lawsuits, investigations, or court cases against a person or organization
Opposition: a political party that opposes or rivals the ruling government
Parliament: the supreme legislative body responsible for making laws and representing the public in government
Political freedoms: rights related to participation in political life, including voting, protest, free speech, and joining organizations
Political interference: attempts by governments or political actors to influence institutions, elections, legal processes, or political activities
Political repression: actions taken by a government to restrict political opposition, criticism, protest, or participation
Raid: a sudden operation carried out by police or authorities, often intended to destroy, seize, or search
Republican People’s Party (CHP): Türkiye’s main opposition political party. The CHP is generally described as secular, center-left, and social democratic
Resist: to oppose or fight against something
Rule of law: the principle that governments and citizens are equally accountable under the law
Secular: not connected to or controlled by religion
Tear gas: a chemical substance used by police for crowd control that causes irritation to the eyes and breathing
Undermining: weakening or damaging something gradually
Vow: to strongly promise or commit to something
References