The key facts
- 34 Russian citizens among about 100 people detained in Ankara on October 23
- The women are being held in the Akyurt deportation center; their interests are being defended by a lawyer
- The raids were prompted by the revocation of licenses from three clubs
Detained dancers remain in a migration center
Russian dancers detained by police during raids on nightclubs in Ankara are still being held in a migration center. This was reported by Life.ru, citing the Telegram channel SHOT. According to the outlet, the detentions were prompted by the revocation of work permits from three venues at once — Folie Berger, Maxim and Havana. An employee of the Folie Berger club told journalists that after the licenses were revoked, police took the foreign employees to a migration center, where their work visas and documents allowing them to work in Turkey began to be checked.
Conditions of detention and status of the detainees
The Russian women have not yet left the center: their mobile phones have been confiscated, but they keep in touch with relatives via a landline phone. According to Life.ru, the dancers themselves say they feel fine and expect to return to Russia in the near future.
Scale of the raids and the embassy's position
The raids on Ankara's nightclubs took place on October 23. Law enforcement detained about 100 women, including 34 Russian citizens. The Russian embassy confirmed that the compatriots are being held in the Akyurt deportation center. Turkish authorities suspect the detainees of violating public order and morality. The women's interests are currently being defended by a lawyer. The publication does not report the timeline for reviewing their documents or a possible deportation date.
