Turkish police have arrested a youth activist after he criticized President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg.

His arrest comes amid a crackdown on Erdogan's main political opponents, with more than 500 detained in nine months. 

Enes Hocaogullari was detained on Tuesday night at Ankara's Esenboga Airport as he arrived from France, his lawyer said. 

Turkey is one of 46 members of the Council of Europe, an international organization aimed at upholding human rights based in France. 

Why was Enes Hocaogullari arrested?

The 23-year-old LGBTQ+ advocate gave a speech in Strasbourg in March criticizing police violence and "democratic backsliding" in Turkey.

"The youth has had enough... We are ready to go on the streets to regain our freedoms," he said. 

Reuters news agency reported, citing a court document, that he was held on charges of "publicly disseminating misleading information" and "inciting hatred and enmity."

Council of Europe condemns arrest

The Council of Europe's congress of local authorities said on Wednesday called for immediate release.

"The Congress has already expressed deep concern about the state of democracy in Turkey and called on the Turkish authorities to stop prosecuting and detaining elected representatives from opposition parties," Congress President Marc Cools said in a statement.

"This new attack on a youth delegate for having legitimately exercised the right to express their views in a pluralistic public debate, is scandalous and unacceptable."

Edited by: Wesley Rahn