EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF TÜRKİYE IN THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA
Subject: Letter of Protest Regarding the Arrest of SKOJ First Secretary Miloš Karavezić and Other Participants of an International Youth Conference
Dear Sir/Madam,
The League of Communist Youth of Yugoslavia (SKOJ) expresses its strongest protest regarding the arrest of SKOJ First Secretary, Miloš Karavezić, as well as other participants of an international youth conference held in the Republic of Türkiye.
According to the information available to us, Miloš Karavezić was arrested on 1 July 2026 during a police operation carried out at an internal gathering of the World Anti-Imperialist Platform. Approximately twenty participants were detained during the operation, including members of the international delegation and Turkish youth activists. We express our serious concern over reports that the detainees are facing accusations of terrorist activities, despite the fact that they were participating in an academic and political event dedicated to discussions, seminars, and international cooperation.
We believe that such actions constitute a serious restriction of the freedoms of thought, expression, association, and peaceful assembly—rights guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Türkiye as well as by the international obligations assumed by the Republic of Türkiye through its ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
We are particularly concerned about the situation of Serbian citizen Miloš Karavezić and expect that he will be afforded all rights to which he is entitled under Turkish law and international law, including unrestricted access to legal counsel, the ability to communicate with his family, and the full exercise of his right to consular protection by the Republic of Serbia.
We call upon the Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye in the Republic of Serbia to forward this letter of protest to the competent authorities of the Republic of Türkiye and to inform them of the serious concern that this case has raised.
At the same time, we demand:
that Miloš Karavezić and all other detained participants be guaranteed all rights provided under domestic and international law;
that they be granted unrestricted access to their lawyers and consular representatives;
that the competent authorities urgently review the legal grounds for their detention;
that Miloš Karavezić and the other conference participants be released immediately if there are no lawful and substantiated grounds for their continued detention.
SKOJ remains committed to defending democratic rights and freedoms and will continue to inform the domestic and international public, as well as international organizations and progressive political and youth movements, about this case.
We expect the competent authorities of the Republic of Türkiye to act in accordance with their own laws and international obligations, in the interest of protecting human rights and upholding the rule of law.
Respectfully,
Secretariat of the League of Communist Youth of Yugoslavia (SKOJ)
Belgrade
3 July 2025
