Melbourne mother of two detained in Turkey has been labelled a ‘human rights activist’

The detention of a Melbourne mother-of-two as she attempted to board a flight back home from Turkey has been criticised by her supporters as an “unlawful arrest”.

Lenna Aslan, also known as Çiğdem Aslan, was arrested in Turkey. Picture: LinkedIn

A Melbourne mother arrested in Turkey on terrorism allegations is a human right activist not a terrorist, say her supporters, who have slammed her detention as “absolutely crazy”.

Lenna Aslan, also known as Çiğdem Aslan, was sensationally arrested at Istanbul Airport over the weekend as she tried to return home to Melbourne after seeing family.

Ms Aslan was detained over her alleged connections to terrorist organisation the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, otherwise known as the PKK.

Merri-bek Councillor Sue Bolton said she was worried Ms Aslan’s safety and called the terrorism charges against her: “absolutely crazy.”

Having been introduced through the Kurdish community over a decade ago, Cr Bolton said she knew Ms Aslan as a humanitarian and activist.

“She is a warm and loving person … I can’t speak highly enough of her,” she told the Herald Sun.

She added Ms Aslan had concerned herself with human rights issues domestically, as well as being a passionate advocate for the Kurdish community overseas and in Melbourne.

Ms Aslan was detained over her alleged connections to terrorist organisation the Kurdistan Workers’ Party. Picture: Multicultural Centre for Women's Health

Merri-bek councillor Sue Bolton called the charges against Ms Aslan ‘absolutely crazy’. Picture: Jason Edwards

Cr Bolton accused the Turkish government of using terrorist charges to “demonise” an oppressed member of the Kurdish community, fearing her friend’s health and safety was in jeopardy.

“I felt personally, not just as a political injustice, I felt really gutted and worried about her safety and her health,” she said.

“She is someone who went back to Turkey for family reasons … she had a right to feel safe travelling back to Turkey to visit family.

“She’s a totally good person and she should not be jailed and threatened or charged with terrorism offences, this is absolutely crazy.”

Members of the Kurdish community reached out to Cr Bolton following Ms Aslan’s detention to share their concern over what they deemed as an “unjust arrest.”

Democratic Kurdish Society Australia co-chair spokesman Brusk, who wished to have his last name omitted, said it was sad to see a member of their community, who is an Australian citizen, behind bars.

Ms Aslan was arrested at Istanbul Airport as she attempted to board a flight back to Melbourne. Picture: iStock

Brusk said Ms Aslan’s arrest was part of a larger “scare campaign” to discourage Kurdish culture and language in Turkey and overseas.

“Her case has been shocking for us,” he said.

“The (Turkish government) know they (Kurds) have families and they want to go back … it’s clear the Turkish government is against any Kurdish activities.”

Just under 10,000 Kurdish speakers live in Australia according to the 2021 census, with that number likely to have increased in the years prior.

A large proportion of this community now feel unsafe according to Brusk, adding members had reached out to the federal government to issue a statement addressing Ms Aslan’s arrest.

“We don’t feel safe here,” he said.

“I hope the Australian government wakes up to this … we contribute to this country, we love this country.”

As of Tuesday evening, Greens Defence spokesperson David Shoebridge and leader of the Victorian Greens Samantha Ratnam were the only members of parliament to publicly acknowledge Ms Aslan’s arrest.

“I am urgently raising this with Commonwealth security agencies to see what they are doing to protect the Kurdish Australian community,” Mr Shoebridge wrote in a post on social media on Tuesday.

“Everyone in this country has the right to safely, peacefully and proudly express their culture and beliefs, free of foreign interference.”

Ms Ratnam said it was “very distressing” to learn of the arrest and said the Kurdish centre in her electorate of Wills had done “so much to support the community including refugees and asylum seekers fleeing oppression”.

“This type of surveillance and foreign interference is deeply troubling,” she wrote on X.

A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson said the department was providing “consular assistance” to an Australian woman in Turkey.

“Owing to our privacy obligations we are unable to provide further comment,” they said.

Originally published as Melbourne mother of two detained in Turkey has been labelled a ‘human rights activist’