Turkey apprehends youth advocate following Council of Europe address

In a recent development, 23-year-old Enes Hocaogullari, a prominent LGBTQ advocate, was arrested by Turkish police at Ankara's Esenboğa Airport upon his arrival from France. The arrest occurred after Hocaogullari criticized President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg.

Hocaogullari's speech in March criticized police violence and "democratic backsliding" in Turkey. As a result, he is now being held on charges of "publicly disseminating misleading information" and "inciting hatred and enmity."

The arrest has raised concerns about freedom of speech and human rights in Turkey. The Congress, a transatlantic legislative body, described the arrest of Hocaogullari as a "new attack" on a youth delegate. In a statement, the Congress considered the arrest as "scandalous and unacceptable."

The Council of Europe's Congress of Local Authorities has also called for the immediate release of Hocaogullari. Marc Cools, President of the Congress, issued a statement condemning the arrest. The Council of Europe, an international organization consisting of 46 members, has not yet issued a statement regarding Hocaogullari's arrest.

This arrest is part of a wider crackdown on Erdogan's main political opponents, with over 500 detentions in the past nine months. The Congress has previously expressed deep concern about the state of democracy in Turkey and has called on the Turkish authorities to stop prosecuting and detaining elected representatives from opposition parties.

Enes Hocaogullari's lawyer has confirmed his detention. The charges against Hocaogullari were reported by Reuters news agency, citing a court document. The arrest of Hocaogullari has added to the growing concerns about the state of democracy and human rights in Turkey, a member of the Council of Europe, an international organization aimed at upholding human rights based in France.