22 people detained in Antalya for remembering revolutionary leaders in Turkey

At least 22 people have been detained in their homes in Antalya due to a memorial service for the executed leaders of the 68 Movement in Turkey, Deniz Gezmiş, Yusuf Aslan and Hüseyin Inan.

In the southern Turkish province of Antalya, 22 people were taken into custody during house searches on Thursday due to a memorial service held for Deniz Gezmiş, Yusuf Aslan and Hüseyin Inan in front of the Attalos Monument in Antalya on 6 May 2023. The detainees are accused of "organisational propaganda" and have been taken to Antalya police station. A total of 30 people are wanted for arrest.

Those detained include the EMEP chairperson in Antalya, Hasan Alkan, and the president of the education union Eğitim Sen branch in Antalya, Nurettin Sönmez.

Deniz Gezmiş, Yusuf Aslan and Hüseyin Inan were among the most important representatives of the revolutionary movement in Turkey. They were active in the Workers' Party of Turkey (TIP) from the mid-1960s and distinguished themselves through militant actions in particular, such as participation in the protests against the US 6th Fleet, which was anchored in Istanbul at the time, against the US forces stationed in Turkey. At that time, young people in many countries were protesting against the established institutions and forms of rule. The story of Gezmiş and his companions is therefore inextricably interwoven with the political conditions of the time, which made him and others within the divided Turkish left choose the path of militant resistance. On 6 May 1972, Deniz Gezmiş, Yusuf Aslan and Hüseyin Inan were executed in Ulucanlar prison in Ankara.