A young British woman has initiated a hunger strike following her unexplained detention in Ankara while protesting the NATO summit. Ella Vivier, a 26-year-old neuroscience graduate from Brighton, heeded the call to oppose the summit by various Turkish political groups, civil society organizations, and trade unions.
The NATO gathering, attended by global leaders like UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump, commenced on Tuesday. Vivier, employed as a support worker for vulnerable children, was apprehended on Sunday night alongside three other demonstrators, as confirmed by her legal representatives in Ankara.
Subsequently, all four detainees commenced a hunger strike on Monday, protesting their arrest without clear reasons provided. Vivier’s lawyers stated that the investigation accuses her of belonging to an unlawful organization, yet no tangible evidence to support the claim has been presented.
Although she has not been formally charged with any offense, an inquiry is ongoing into allegations of instigating provocative actions during the NATO summit. However, the notion of “initiating provocative actions” lacks legal definition in Turkish criminal law, raising concerns about the validity of Vivier’s detention.
Despite international outcry and legal challenges, Vivier remains in custody under questionable circumstances. Her family, along with legal and political representatives, are actively seeking her safe return to the UK. Vivier’s rights, including access to legal counsel and fair trial proceedings, are being questioned, prompting calls for an impartial investigation into the allegations against her.