‘What we can learn from Turkey, where the fire that burned others now burns everyone?’

‘First they came for the Communists

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a Communist

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Then they came for the Socialists

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a Socialist

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Then they came for the trade unionists

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a trade unionist

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Then they came for the Jews

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a Jew

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Then they came for me

And there was no one left

To speak out for me’

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Martin Niemöller

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'On March 18th, The House of Free Speech in Växjö, held the event ‘First They Come for the Migrants - The Rise of the Far Right’. The poem above, by Martin Niemöller, was included on the event poster to highlight why the rise of the far right in the US and Europe is such a pressing issue, and to explain the ideological foundations upon which it is built.

At the event, we aimed to explore the potential impact on democracy and human rights in Sweden in the not-too-distant future if the politics of hate towards immigrants are not confronted today. The event featured readings of my text ‘There Is a Ghost Walking Through Europe and the World - the Ghost of Fascism’ by Aslı Ceren Aslan, and Siamak Raji’s ‘Some Reflections on Fascism’. The readings were followed by a lecture by Expo, a Swedish foundation established in 1995 to educate the public about racism, xenophobia, and the threat posed by far-right ideologies.

What we sought to convey was that the policies of oppression and threats directed at those who are considered not ‘us’, will eventually affect all of us. If we fail to oppose these policies now, all our rights and freedoms could be taken away, one by one.

Just a day after this event, on March 19th, Turkey witnessed a powerful example of this. Ekrem Imamoğlu, Istanbul’s Metropolitan Municipality Mayor, was detained, alongside 87 other people. By March 23rd, dozens of people, including Imamoğlu, were formally arrested.

Before I further discuss why this is so relevant to the purpose of our event in Växjö, I would like to briefly address what is happening in Turkey and the meaning of these developments.'

What is happening in Turkey?

'On March 19th, Ekrem Imamoğlu, who was detained in the early hours of the morning, had just been nominated by the main opposition party in parliament, the Republican People's Party (CHP), as their candidate for the presidential election in 2028. In the 2019 mayoral elections, Imamoğlu defeated the ruling AKP’s candidate in Istanbul. The AKP alleged corruption and electoral fraud and demanded a re-run of the elections in Istanbul. The Supreme Election Board upheld these objections and ordered a new vote, which Imamoğlu won by an even larger margin. In the mayoral elections of 2024, the result remained unchanged- Imamoğlu secured another victory.

Between 2004 and 2019, Istanbul was governed by an AKP mayor. However, the victory of a CHP candidate in the 2019 election was more than just a matter of losing votes for the ruling party. As Istanbul is Turkey’s most populous city, it has the largest budget and economy. AKP’s defeat there meant that its channels to various lucrative public tenders were cancelled. When considered in the context of AKP’s efforts to dominate power in favour of its cronies, it is not difficult to understand why losing Istanbul was such a critical setback for them. Adding to the impact is the fact that several other cities and metropolitan areas in Turkey have shifted from AKP to CHP.

On the other hand, Ekrem Imamoğlu’s gradual rise as a prominent political figure as well as the possibility of his nomination as an oppositional candidate to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in 2028 presidential elections, started the process which ultimately led to Imamoğlu's detention on March 19th. On March 18th, just before the CHP’s presidential primary scheduled for March 23rd, Imamoğlu's university bachelor’s degree was revoked (holding a bachelor’s degree is a legal requirement for presidential candidacy in Turkey). The following day, he was detained on multiple charges, including founding a criminal organisation, extortion, bribery, fraud, corruption, and collaboration with a terrorist organisation.'

‘The solution is not in the ballot box, but on the streets’

Immediately after Imamoğlu’s detention, protests erupted in Istanbul and other provinces joined soon. Thousands took to the streets to condemn Imamoğlu’s detention, viewing it as an attack on the electoral will of millions of people. However, the main cause of the protest was not just this incident, but the broader trend of anti-democratic policies and human rights violations in Turkey.

What stands out in these protests, which saw the police intervene with tear gas and plastic bullets, is the anger stemming from the AKP’s oppressive and intimidating policies. This anger is fuelled by rising inflation, which has made it increasingly difficult for people to meet their basic needs, hate speech attacking women’s and LGBTQI+ rights daily, the erosion of legal protection, the lack of accountability for those responsible for various disasters such as fires and earthquakes, the enactment of laws inviting the laughter of stray animals, and the ongoing interference with the lifestyle of citizens. As a result of these factors, thousands of people have returned to the streets despite the routine use of detentions and arrests. Given that Turkey has not seen such large protests in the last 10 years, apart for demonstrations by LGBTQI+ and women, it is not difficult to argue that the protests since March 19th are the result of accumulated anger.

Yet, another target of the protests was the CHP. Despite the detention of an elected mayor, CHP Chairman Özgür Özel pointed to the ballot box as a solution and an alternative to the crowds in the streets, despite repeated electoral failure being the biggest reason behind this reaction. It has long been evident that democracy in Turkey exists only on paper, and that elections have become a game with a predetermined outcome. In fact, the arrests of mayors and MPs from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) in Kurdish-majority provinces since 2015 marked the beginning of a historical trajectory extending to the CHP today.

First, they came for the Kurds and the socialists, then the LGBTQI+s

Since 2015, Kurdish politicians, journalists, and human rights activists have been systematically arrested, typically on the following three grounds: ‘being a member of a terrorist organisation’, ‘aiding a terrorist organisation’, and ‘making terrorist propaganda’.

In Turkey, where it is increasingly difficult to live freely, express one’s thoughts through writing or speaking, or defend one’s rights, it has become quite easy to be labelled a ‘terrorist’ during the 22-year rule of President Erdoğan's AKP party. Of course, this is not to say that everything was rosy in pre-AKP Turkey, but it is clear that the AKP has turned the country into an empire of fear- not just specific parts of society, but for the whole nation.

In Turkey, where being Kurdish or defending Kurdish rights is framed as ‘terrorism’, this framework only broadens day by day. LGBTQI+ individuals are categorized as organisations, women advocating for their rights on March 8th are called terrorists, journalists are accused of ‘disseminating terrorist propaganda’, and it is not difficult to fit human rights activists into this framework either. With its policies of social polarization, the AKP has turned diversity, such as ethnic identity, sexual orientation, and lifestyle into the ‘other’, and the silence of Turkish society has led us to the present situation.

With non-Kurds turning a blind eye to the persecution of Kurds, non-LGBTQI+ individuals joining in the hatred towards LGBTQI+ individuals, journalists remaining silent as socialist-revolutionary journalists are arrested, those who first came for the ‘others’, now threaten the lives of everybody.

In short, not raising a voice for the HDP co-chairs Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ, who were arrested in 2016 and are still in detention, paved the way for a Turkey where Ekrem İmamoğlu is detained today.

Before the fire falls spreads to the heart of our homes

The intention behind this article is not to inform you about political developments in Turkey. Nor do I write with the expectation that European countries will impose political sanctions on Turkey.

Just as I have repeatedly given speeches on human rights and press freedom in Turkey at many schools, universities, and various events during the three years I have lived in Sweden, this article aims to show how important it is to protect democracy and human rights everywhere. I have written it to illustrate what might happen if the wind of fascism currently blowing in America and Europe turns into a storm.

While I understand that what is happening in Turkey may seem like an extreme example for Sweden today, it is worth noting that democracy and human rights are not only jeopardised by pressure and aggression but can also be eroded with society’s passive consent. We need to realise that right-wing populism, which his attending to gain societal acceptance for its anti-immigrant policies across Europe, will expand its reach over time.

Let us not forget that the fire we believe will never touch us can easily spread to the heart of our homes. I would like to remind you how important it is to extinguish this fire in Europe, and in Sweden, while it is still just a spark. Opposing the policies of right-wing populism before they affect everyone is the most effective way to defend democracy and human rights.

Aslı Ceren Aslan

On 18 March, the House of Free Speech hosted the event ‘First They Come for the Migrants – The Rise of the Far Right’. The event addressed the growing influence of far-right parties in mainstream public discourse across the West, including the United States, Europe, and Sweden, and highlighted immigration as one of their central targets.

The program featured a welcome and call to action by the World Women’s Conference, along with readings of ‘There Is a Ghost Walking Through Europe and the World - the Ghost of Fascism’ by Aslı Ceren Aslan, and ‘Some Reflections on Fascism’ by Siamak Raji.

The Expo Foundation also delivered a presentation on the rise and evolution of far-right ideologies in recent years. The foundation is a non-profit organisation dedicated to defending democracy and freedom of expression against totalitarian threats.