President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a closed-door meeting Tuesday with Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset at the presidential palace in Ankara amid growing concerns over the continued imprisonment of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, president’s main political rival, and the ensuing crackdown on protests.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Communications Director Fahrettin Altun and Chief Foreign Policy and Security Adviser Akif Çağatay Kılıç were also present at the meeting.
According to Turkish Foreign Ministry sources cited by the state-run Anadolu news agency about an earlier meeting, Fidan and Berset discussed bilateral cooperation and the former emphasized Turkey’s commitment to the council, of which it is a founding member. The Turkish foreign minister also voiced support for Berset’s efforts to promote inclusive, consensus-based dialogue among member states.
Fidan also urged the council to take a more active role in combating racism across Europe.
Honoured to lay a wreath at Anıtkabir on behalf of the Council of Europe. Atatürk’s reforms opened the way to Türkiye’s accession to the Council of Europe just two decades later. 46 proud and equal States sharing common values and committed to mutual obligations. @MFATurkiye @coe pic.twitter.com/djIZB5Rj7W
— Alain Berset (@alain_berset) April 22, 2025
Berset’s visit to Ankara comes amid mounting international criticism of Turkey’s democracy and human rights record, particularly following the March arrest of İstanbul’s mayor and the detention of nearly 2,000 protesters. The Council of Europe’s anti-torture committee conducted a visit to Turkish detention facilities earlier this month to assess police practices and conditions in custody after widespread allegations of mistreatment.
In a statement on April 9, the council’s Conference of International Non-Governmental Organisations called for the immediate release of the mayor and other detainees, denouncing the charges as politically motivated and raising concerns over the erosion of democratic norms in Turkey.
The council has repeatedly urged Ankara to comply with rulings from the European Court of Human Rights, including those ordering the release of high-profile prisoners.