HÜDA PAR's Human Rights and Legal Affairs Presidency has strongly condemned the detention of nine pro-Palestinian activists who staged a peaceful protest in front of Belstar Logistics, a Turkish branch of the Israeli shipping giant ZIM.

The party described the arrests as a violation of constitutional rights and a troubling sign of tolerance toward companies complicit in the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

The protest, which took place earlier this week, involved five women and four men who were demonstrating against Belstar Logistics’ continued logistical support for the Israeli regime. ZIM is widely known for its active trade routes with Israel, and Belstar is seen as a local enabler of Israeli operations. According to HÜDA PAR, the protesters—referred to as “volunteer friends of Palestine”—were peacefully exercising their right to dissent against genocide.

“The detention of these volunteers is unlawful and constitutes a clear violation of citizens’ constitutional right to protest,” the party stated. “Suppressing even the smallest protest against the unprecedented crimes of the Israeli regime is unacceptable.”

The statement highlighted that Israel’s war on Gaza, now entering its 20th month, has resulted in mass civilian casualties and widespread destruction. HÜDA PAR accused Ankara of double standards—pointing out that while ships delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza are obstructed, companies with known ties to Israel’s military and logistical infrastructure continue to operate freely in the country.

“Protesting companies that are complicit in massacres and war crimes is legitimate, protected by both the Turkish Constitution and international human rights law,” HÜDA PAR emphasized.

The party demanded the immediate release of all detained activists and called for a thorough public investigation into Belstar Logistics and similar companies. It also reiterated its longstanding call for Türkiye to sever all direct and indirect trade ties with Israel, which it described as a “terror regime.”

“It is the moral duty of every individual and institution to stand with justice, not with oppression,” the statement concluded.

The detentions have sparked a wave of criticism from civil society organizations, activists, and pro-Palestinian groups in Türkiye, who argue that solidarity with Gaza should not be criminalized, especially as Israeli attacks continue to devastate the Palestinian population.

HÜDA PAR’s remarks underscore a growing frustration within segments of the Turkish public who believe that the government's Gaza rhetoric is not matched by concrete action, particularly in terms of economic disengagement from Israel. (ILKHA)