A member of Oxford City Council’s executive has said she takes human rights issues completely seriously after a visit to Turkey that was paid for by the country’s governing political grouping.

In December 2025, Cllr Lubna Arshad, elected for Blackbird Leys (Labour), who formerly held the position of lord mayor and now serves as the cabinet member responsible for safety in Oxford, attended an Istanbul trip funded by President Erdoğan’s party, the AKP.

Now, Cllr Arshad has explained her justification for accepting this party-funded excursion, describing it as not political while acknowledging concerns about the party’s record on human rights.

Her participation in an International Women in Local Governments Summit hosted by the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) has been recorded in her declared interests with an estimated value of £1066 as a gift or hospitality.

The Turkish president, who has governed since 2014, attended the conference, and Cllr Arshad featured in group photographs alongside him in images shared on the party’s official social media accounts.

President Erdoğan’s government has recently restricted online platforms and freedom of speech, with Amnesty International describing it as carrying out an extensive crackdown on human rights.

Cllr Arshad spoke about her time at the summit, saying it brought together female leaders from different countries to talk about experiences, challenges, and successful approaches in local governance.

She commented that she attended as a councillor and Cabinet Member for Safer Oxford. This offered an opportunity to network with other women in leadership roles, exchange ideas, and learn about different strategies for community safety and local government matters that she could directly apply to her work in Oxford.

Throughout her career in public service, she has always made community protection, safeguarding, and tackling issues such as violence against women and girls, exploitation, and inequality a priority. Taking part in international gatherings can provide valuable knowledge to strengthen local work.

She recognises there are wider discussions and concerns about human rights, and she takes these seriously. Her decision to go was based on the specific focus of the summit and her responsibility to deliver the best outcomes for local residents.

The council cabinet member further noted she considered the attendance as non-political involvement in international matters, stressing it should not be seen as backing any political party or government.

She observed that in her position, she regularly engages with various organisations and communities to ensure balanced perspectives and inclusive decision-making.