Police forces have blockaded the DBP building in Cizre before the final Newroz activities that are held in memory of the lives lost. People start gathering in front of the party building despite the blockade.

The DBP district branch office was surrounded by the police before the final Newroz activities to be held there in memory of the lives lost in weeks long genocidal attacks in Cizre’s self-rule resistance. People are still coming despite the building being surrounded by dozens of armored vehicles and hundreds of special operations police. HDP MP’s are also present at the building.

HDP group, including HDP Co-chairs Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ, DTK Co-chairs Hatip Dicle and Selma Irmak, HDK Co-spokespersons Gülistan Koçyiğit and Ertuğrul Kürkçü, started from Amed and were expected to arrive in the district at 11.00. HDP Şırnak MP Faysal Sarıyıldız, Mardin Metropolitan Municipality Co-mayor Ahmet Türk, DBP and HDP co-chairs and representatives from institutions were to meet them at the district entrance.

The group coming from Amed was stopped by soldiers and police in Basiprîn village, 20 kilometers away from Şırnak’s İdil province. The state forces have blocked the road with armored vehicles and are not letting the group through, citing an order issued by the Governorate of Şırnak. The group is still waiting.

Police have started detaining people in Cizre. Two young men whose names could not be determined were taken into custody by special operations units who stopped a bus coming to Cizre from Silopi to attend Newroz. One young man was battered and taken into custody in Orhan Doğan Avenue.

Parents of DBP Party Council member Mehmet Yavuzel who lost his life in Cizre are attending the memorial. The families of the lost are expected to arrive in the district with the HDP group. Families of Pakize Nayır, Co-chair of the People’s Assembly killed in Silopi, and Mele Hasan Sanır (80), who was killed in Silopi and whose body was left on the streets for 8 days, have arrived in Cizre.

Reports say 8 academics from Amnesty International are also heading to Cizre.

Activities are expected to start at 13.00. Dengbejs are now in front of the party building, singing their laments.