ISTANBUL – A 'confidentiality' decision was taken in the investigation file regarding 20 people detained, including HDP politicians. A 24-hour lawyer restriction was also imposed on prisoners.

 

At least 20 people, including the executives of the People's Democratic Congress (HDK), the People's Democratic Party (HDP) and non-governmental organizations, were detained in simultaneous raids on many houses in Istanbul and Kırklareli in the morning. The people, whose reasons for detention could not be learned, were taken to the Istanbul Provincial Police Department.

 

It was learned that a "confidentiality" decision was made regarding the investigation, which stated that the number of detentions could increase. On the other hand, it was learned that the prisoners were restricted from meeting with their lawyers for 24 hours.

 

Some of the names taken into custody are as follows: HDK General Assembly member Umut Ezber, HDP PM member Cengiz Topbaşlı, Democratic Alevi Associations (DAD) Co-chair Kadriye Doğan, Kurdish Studies Association Co-chair Eyüp Subaşı, HDP Pendik District Co-chair Oya Aytekin, HDP Provincial Organization executives Çetin Aslanboğa and Mesut Fırat, HDP Ataşehir District Organization executive Halil Aksu, HDP Bakırköy District Co-chair Gonca Yangöz and Mehmet Akçiçek, Bülent Yıldırım, Zaynel Azadi, Fikriye Sarıgöl, Burcu Demir, Fethiye Kızmaz, Behiye Demir, Hüseyin Avras, Baran Sümbül, Oktay Okşal and Behiye Duman.

 

STATEMENT FROM THE MINISTER

 

Minister of Internal Affairs Ali Yerlikaya shared about the detentions on his social media account. In Yerlikaya's post, which announced that operations were carried out at 26 different addresses, detained politicians and representatives of non-governmental organizations were targeted on the charge of "aiding the organisation".