Kurdish lawyer Yusuf Özperçin has been taken into custody in Adıyaman (Semsûr). The lawyer, who is also co-chair of the provincial DEM party, is accused of "propaganda for a terrorist organization."

The ÖHD lawyers' association, of which Özperçin is a member, said on Saturday that the Adıyaman public prosecutor's office also accuse the lawyer of "statements detrimental to the state."

The ÖHD board described the accusations against Özperçin as groundless, as they were linked to criticism of the ongoing occupation operation of the Turkish army in South Kurdistan. The organization condemned the imprisonment of the lawyer and politician and said: "Peaceful and free expression of opinion against the state's war policy must not be considered a criminal offense. Our colleague must be released immediately."

Lawyer Özperçin was taken to a prison in Adıyaman, and according to the ÖHD, it is still unclear whether and when charges will be brought.

The ÖHD has been victim of repression for years. The association is known for its fight for human and civil rights and mainly takes on political mandates, especially in the Kurdish provinces of the country. Lawyer Özperçin also made a name for himself as a renowned human rights defender. He represents politically active people who are persecuted because of their opposition to the government, as well as tobacco farmers who have lost their livelihood due to a law in favor of the foreign tobacco industry.

Criminal charges filed after earthquake

Özperçin is also committed to supporting the victims and relatives of the earthquake that hit the Turkish-Syrian border region in February 2023. He has filed several criminal charges for intentional and negligent homicide against government members and officials, including governors, ministers and construction companies. Like many other legal entities and organizations, Özperçin accuses the government of bearing considerable responsibility for the high number of victims. This is primarily about building safety, in which the administration of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan plays an inglorious role.

According to government figures, around 53,000 people in Turkey died in the earthquake. Yet, according to analyses by various organizations and professional associations such as the Turkish Doctors' Association TTB, three times as many people actually died as a result of the earthquake than officially reported.