Tens of thousands of people joined the Newroz celebration in Batman. Some reports said that at the end of the celebration police took a number of people into custody.

HDP deputies Ayşe Acar Başaran, Necdet İpekyüz and Mehmet Rüştü Tiryaki lit the Newroz fire with the co-mayor candidates.

Political prisoner Zülküf Gezen who ended his life in Tekirdağ No 2 F-Type Prison to protest the isolation against Öcalan was commemorated by the speakers and the people.

HDP Hakkari MP Leyla Güven who has been on hunger strike for 134 days was commended as were the hundreds of hunger strikers all over Kurdistan, Turkey, the prisons, Europe and Canada.

Speaking at the celebration, Mother of Peace Şükran Sincar, commended the Newroz of the people and the hunger strikers and said that their demand should be accepted.

HDP deputy Ayşe Acar Başaran stressed that isolation will be broken and the crowded Newroz celebrations were a sign of this.

HDP deputy Necdet Ipekyuz stated that the AKP-MHP alliance is being defeated and the Kurdish people and the democratic forces will win in the upcoming 31 March elections.

HDP deputy Mehmet Rüştü Tiryaki said: "Maybe we could not prevent the death of Zülküf, but we can save the lives of the prisoners on hunger strikes. We have to fight for it, and we will.”

It was reported that some people were taken into custody following the celebrations.