Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launches investigation into detention of Turkish citizens aboard Global Sumud Flotilla

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation on Thursday into the detention of 24 Turkish citizens during Israel's attack on the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters.

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office announced in a statement that an investigation had been launched into the detention of 24 Turkish citizens following an attack carried out by elements of the Israeli navy in international waters against the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was en route to Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid.

The investigation is being conducted under the provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the rules of jurisdiction in Article 15 of the Criminal Procedure Code, and the rules of duty in Articles 12 and 13 of the Turkish Criminal Code, on the charges of “deprivation of liberty,” “hijacking or seizure of means of transport,” “aggravated robbery,” “damage to property,” and “torture.”​​​​​​​

Another investigation was launched by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office pursuant to Article 13 of the Turkish Criminal Code, which stipulates that Turkish laws and the Turkish judiciary shall have jurisdiction even when international crimes are committed by a foreign national in a foreign country.

The Global Sumud Flotilla, consisting of more than 40 vessels and over 500 volunteers from around 40 countries, was attacked on Wednesday by the Israeli navy around 80 nautical miles (148 kilometers) from Gaza, and over 220 activists onboard were detained by Israel.

Israel has maintained a blockade on Gaza, which is home to nearly 2.4 million people, for nearly 18 years, and further tightened the siege in March when it closed border crossings and blocked food and medicine deliveries, pushing the enclave into famine.

The Israeli army has killed more than 66,100 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since October 2023. The UN and rights groups have repeatedly warned that the enclave is being rendered uninhabitable, with starvation and disease spreading rapidly.​​​​​​​