Turkish authorities are preparing to deport approximately 150 foreign nightclub dancers following police raids across entertainment venues in the capital city of Ankara.
Russian television network REN TV reported on Telegram that the planned expulsions follow the detention of more than 30 Russian women during large-scale nightclub inspections. The detained performers were subsequently transferred to a migration detention centre as authorities initiated proceedings against them.
Lawyer Mustafa Makinist told the broadcaster that dancers were taken from their workplaces without evidence. He said that authorities based their actions entirely on suspicions that the performers were engaged in consummation, a term used in the hospitality industry for hostesses who sit with guests to encourage them to buy drinks.
The dancers were placed into custody at the detention facility despite possessing valid work permits issued by the ministry of labour. Legal representatives have now submitted lawsuits demanding the cancellation of both the detention orders and the deportation notices, arguing that the police actions were unlawful and biased.
Work permits and migration detention
Under Turkish labour regulations, foreign entertainers and hospitality staff must obtain official employment authorization approved by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security. Holding an approved permit legally entitles foreign workers to perform in contracted venues, provided they comply with national immigration laws and the specific terms of their employment contracts.
Nightclubs in major Turkish cities are subject to routine inspections by police and labour inspectors looking for immigration irregularities or violations of entertainment venue codes. Foreign nationals subject to deportation orders in Turkey are typically transferred to state-run removal centres while administrative authorities process their case files or arrange for transport.
Lawyers representing foreign workers can challenge administrative removal decisions before Turkish administrative courts by filing petitions for judicial review. The court actions filed on behalf of the detained dancers seek an immediate suspension of the detention orders to prevent their expulsion from the country.
