Several homes were stormed and searched by Turkish police in Dersim province and five people were taken into custody on Tuesday. Two other people were detained in Istanbul in connection with the operation.

The operation in Dersim was given the "anti-terror” label, which is considered a weapon in the hands of the Turkish government and its judiciary when cracking down on dissenters, according to lawyers' circles.

The detainees were referred to court after giving their statements at the police department. After the finalization of the procedures for three detainees, one of them, Yaprak Kurban, was released on condition of judicial supervision. Ertan Çıta, correspondent of the left-wing newspaper "Yeni Demokrasi" (New Democracy), and Ali Yıldız from the board of the Munzur Environmental Association (MÇD), were remanded in custody. Çıta and Yıldız are accused of “membership in a terrorist organization” and “financing a terrorist organization”, meaning the PKK.

Procedures continue for the other detainees at the courthouse.