The wave of arrests in northern Kurdistan continues. Six politicians detained in raids in the Ergani district of Amed (Diuyarbakır) on 8 June have been remanded in custody. The detainees are three former co-mayors of Ergani who were elected to office for the HDP at different periods: Ahmet Kaya, Ramazan Kartalmış and Fesih Yalçın, as well as the former deputy co-mayors Gülistan Polat, Esveri Malkoç and Cavidan Yaman.

The prosecutor's office criminalised the protests, events and municipal activities of Kurdish politicians between 2014-2019, accusing them of ‘membership of a terrorist organisation’ and demanded their arrest.

Lawyer Mehdi Özdemir explained that his clients are being accused because of their work in their offices. During the interrogation, they were asked questions such as: ‘Where is Kurdistan, where is Roboskî, what is the Halabja massacre?’. The politicians were taken to prison after the hearing before the magistrate.