Three construction workers who were detained while listening to Kurdish music in a park in Altıeylül district were imprisoned on charges of ‘making illegal organisation propaganda’ and ‘resisting the police’.
Three construction workers were arrested in the western province of Balıkesir for listening to Kurdish music in a park.
Özgür İpek, Mehmet Argın and Cemal Güzel were listening to Kurdish music in Atatürk Park in Altıeylül district in the evening when police officers asked for their ID cards on the grounds of ‘complaints from the neighbourhood residents’. When the three men refused to give their ID cards saying that they were only listening to music, the police used violence and detained them.
Kadir Güzel, brother of detained Cemal Güzel, stated that his brother and his friends were attacked by tens of police officers and some people in the neighbourhood during their detention. The three workers who were detained by violence were also attacked in the detention centre and were not allowed to get a medical report.
After the procedures at the police station were completed in the morning, the three workers were referred to Balıkesir Courthouse. They were charged with ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ and ‘resisting the police’ and referred to the court with a demand for their arrest. Appearing before the Criminal Judicature of Peace, the three men were remanded in custody on the same grounds.
