Turkey continues to tighten the repression screw against the democratic opposition. In Batman, two people have been imprisoned for alleged "terror support", including a 75-year-old man, while an HDP politician was taken into custody in Şırnak.
Turkey continues to tighten the repression screw against the democratic opposition. In the northern Kurdish province of Batman, two people who had been in the custody of the gendarmerie (military police) since Tuesday were jailed on Thursday. The persons concerned are Sezgin Yavuz, co-chairman of the HDP in the town of Bekirhan, and 75-year-old Yusuf Şahin.
The public prosecutor's office accuses both men of violating anti-terror legislation by "supporting" the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). It is not yet known what form of support this is supposed to take. Yavuz and Şahin were transferred to Batman M-Type Prison. It is still unclear if and when a trial will take place.
HDP politician detained in Şırnak
On the other hand, local politician Sabuha Akdağ has been taken into custody in Şırnak. Akdağ, who is co-chair of the HDP's provincial association, had complied with police summons on Thursday. She was detained immediately after entering the police headquarters. The authorities have not yet announced the reasons for the arrest, but it is suspected that the case was filed under the label of "terrorism".
Akdağ is to be questioned by the Şırnak public prosecutor's office in the course of tomorrow, Friday. Until then, she will remain in police custody.
