2025-03-30T17:00:47+00:00
Shafaq News/ Turkish authorities have intensified their crackdown on anti-government protests by leveraging advanced surveillance technologies, including facial recognition, to identify demonstrators and journalists, following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.
Despite a ban on gatherings, nearly 2,000 people have been detained since the demonstrations began on March 19. Many were arrested on the streets, while others were taken from their homes in pre-dawn raids after being identified through police footage and photographs.
At least 13 Turkish journalists have been detained for covering the protests, including Agence France-Presse (AFP) photographer Yasin Akgul. Authorities accused him of "participating in illegal gatherings and marches" based on images captured by the police.
Digital security expert Orhan Şener, in an analysis published by France 24, highlighted the stark contrast between today's surveillance capabilities and those during the 2013 Gezi Park protests. Back then, demonstrators dominated social media, and law enforcement struggled to track them. "Now, if someone joins a protest in Turkiye, facial recognition systems can immediately match their identity with social media profiles," Şener explained.
In response, many demonstrators have taken to covering their faces with hats, masks, and scarves. Police in Istanbul have repeatedly cornered protesters, demanding they remove face coverings for identification, refusing to let them leave if they refused. These tactics have sparked widespread outrage, particularly among young activists, according to AFP correspondents.
Arif Koçer, an expert on the societal impact of emerging technologies, noted that "every form of pressure generates countermeasures." He predicted an increased use of disguise techniques such as distinct clothing, tinted glasses, and makeup to evade facial recognition. However, he emphasized that misinformation campaigns aimed at discrediting and dividing protests pose an even greater challenge.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has dismissed the protests as "street terrorism," accusing participants of vandalizing a mosque and cemetery—claims the opposition strongly denies. Şener warned that authoritarian regimes have become adept at manipulating the internet to their advantage, not only through censorship but also for propaganda purposes.
Yaman Akdeniz, a law professor and head of the Turkish Freedom of Expression Association, criticized the arbitrary slowdown of internet services and efforts to restrict access to social media. He revealed that legislation was being drafted to require messaging platforms such as WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram to establish offices in Turkiye and disclose user identities to authorities.
"We are heading toward a surveillance state," Akdeniz warned. Since 2020, internet service providers have been legally compelled to share user activity data with the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK). Opposition news site Medyascope reported in 2022 that such data had been retained far beyond the legal limit of two years, with prosecutors receiving internet records spanning a decade during their investigation into [İmamoğlu.](https://shafaq.com/en/World/Turkiye-Jailed-mayor-mamo-lu-vows-resistance-from-cell)
"This unlawful data retention enables arbitrary practices," Akdeniz cautioned, underscoring the growing intersection of online and offline activism. "Through facial recognition, the government is not just discouraging people from protesting—it is also restricting their ability to mobilize through digital platforms."