A Brighton University graduate is on hunger strike in Turkey after she was detained by police having travelled there to protest against the NATO summit in Ankara last week.
Ella Vivier, a 26-year-old neuroscience graduate, from Brighton, is a support worker with vulnerable children.
She went to the Turkish capital after at the request of political organisations, civil society groups and trade unions there to oppose the summit which started last Tuesday (7 July).
It was attended by world leaders including the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and the American President Donald Trump.
Ms Vivier was detained at about 9pm on Sunday 5 July, along with three other protesters, according to her legal representatives in Ankara, Suheyla Oguz and Senem Doganoglu, and all four went on hunger strike on Monday.
Her legal representatives told the Press Association: “At the time of her detention, no reason or legal basis for the detention was explained to her.
“We were only later informed by the authorities that the investigation concerns an allegation of membership of an illegal organisation.
“However, our examination of the investigation file has revealed no evidence supporting this allegation and no factual basis for the accusation has been disclosed to the defence.”
Ms Vivier has not been charged with any crime and an investigation is being conducted on suspicion of “initiating provocative actions during the Nato summit”, her legal representatives said.
But they believe that there is no offence defined under Turkish criminal law as “initiating provocative actions”.
Ms Oguz said: “In our legal opinion, there are serious concerns regarding the lawfulness of the detention. Ella was not informed of the reasons for her detention at the time she was apprehended.”
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said: “We are supporting the family of a British woman detained in Turkey and are in contact with the local authorities.”
Ms Vivier’s partner, who asked not to be named, has not been able to make contact with her.
Her partner said: “No one, except the lawyer, has been allowed (to talk to her). She’s been held in a counter-terror cell. Even the embassy haven’t been able to speak to her directly.”
“It’s been a completely unlawful detention. Her and the three other internationalists that she was arrested with were arrested pre-emptively before the summit had started, so before even taking part in any of the protests, so she hadn’t committed any crime.
“It’s been a purely preventative detention which we consider to be in violation of fundamental human rights.
“Her and the other three internationalists have been on hunger strikes since their arrest in a protest against their conditions.”
The Green MP for Brighton Pavilion has been made aware of the case. A member of her staff said: “Sian is aware of their detention and is in touch with Ella’s family as her constituency MP.
“Sian and her casework team have already made contact with the FCDO and are doing what they can to assist Ella and her family.
“She will continue to do what she can to ensure their safe return to the UK.”
Ms Oguz said that she believed Ms Vivier’s human rights had been violated including during her arrest and transport to detention and at a hospital where she was taken for a health check.
She was also required to sign documents written entirely in Turkish which she could not read or understand.
Ms Oguz said: “These allegations raise serious concerns regarding her right to liberty and security, her right of access to legal assistance, her right to a fair trial, her right to dignity and privacy and the prohibition of ill-treatment.
“We believe these allegations require a prompt, effective and independent investigation.”
The Turkish authorities have been approached for comment.
Some of the biggest security on the Planet in attendance, what did she expect ???