“I welcome today’s decision to end the detention of the Congress youth delegate in respect of Türkiye, Enes Hocaoğulları, and release him under judicial control until the end of the trial,” stressed Marc Cools, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, in a statement today. 

“Enes Hocaoğulları was arrested, questioned, and placed in detention pending trial on the charges which relate specifically to a speech he made during a plenary debate held by the Congress in Strasbourg on 27 March 2025, on dismissals of mayors in Türkiye.

“Last week, I led a Congress delegation which visited Enes in prison. In our statement of 5 September, we expressed hope that justice will prevail during his trial, that all charges will be dropped, that he will be immediately released. Today’s decision is a first step in this direction, and I reiterate our call on the Turkish authorities to drop all charges against Enes.”

Contact: Congress Communication Unit, tel: +33 (0)3 88 41 38 90