19 out of 25 people, who had been detained by soldiers upon their return from Mount Ararat where they acted as human shields, were remanded in custody by a court decision.

25 people including Doğubayazıt co-mayor Rohat Özbay, DBP district branch co-chair Nuri Çelik, TUHAY DER representative Cemil Koç, who had been detained on September 12 upon their return from human shield action to prevent clashes and probable deaths in Mount Ararat region, were referred to the district courthouse after the completion of procedures at district Gendarmerie Command.

Following the procedures at the prosecutor’s office, six people including Doğubayazıt co-mayor Rohat Özbay were released on conditions of supervision, while 19 others were referred to court, where they were remanded in custody on alleged grounds of “being member of an organisation” and “aiding an organisation”, among them DBP district branch co-chair Nuri Çelik, TUHAY DER representative Cemil Koç, HDP Headquarters personnel Kutbettin Saltan and Leyla Sevgin, Municipal Council members Sebih Tunç and Halime Keskin.

A large number of people in Doğubayazıt kept waiting outside the court house and opened a banner which read “Do not touch my will”.

While those remanded in custody are expected to be referred to prison today, defence attorneys said the arrests were political as the detainees had been expected to be released after giving their testimonies at the district Gendarmerie Command for accusation of 'violating the ban on military zone' in Mount Ararat region. Lawyers added that the course of the case was however changed and ended up with arrests.