Three people, including DBP Provincial Co-Chair Aziz Akdağ and MEBYA-DER Representative Mahmut Elçi, who were detained in Adıyaman on 8 January, were imprisoned after 3 days of detention.
Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Adıyaman Provincial Co-Chair Aziz, Mahmut Elçi, Adıyaman Representative of MEBYA-DER (Association of Assistance, Solidarity, Unity and Culture with the Families of the Disappeared in the Cradle of Civilizations), and Bedriye Polattaş, who were detained in house raids in Adıyaman centre on January 8, were remanded in custody after their referral to a court for allegedly "being members of an illegal organization."
Akdağ, Elçi and Polattaş, who exercised their right to remain silent at the gendarmerie station during three days of detention, were brought to Adıyaman Courthouse this morning. Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Adıyaman Provincial Co-Chair Aziz Akdağ, who was present with his lawyer at the prosecutor's office, said that after he was taken into custody, he was taken to a room by the gendarmes who forced him to give his statement there. When Akdağ said that he would not give his statement without a lawyer, the gendarmes insulted him by saying "You idiot, your blood is worthless".
In his statement to the prosecutor's office, Akdağ was asked about his speeches on Ronahi TV during the earthquake and election process. Akdağ was asked about his referring to PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan as "Mr." in the TV programmes. In response, Akdağ said that he believed that the ongoing isolation of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan should be lifted. Akdağ was then asked, "Do you consider the PKK an armed terrorist organisation?". Akdağ's lawyer, Yusuf Özperçin, stated that the question was not in conformity with the Constitution and was therefore undue.
Mahmut Elçi, the Adıyaman Representative of MEBYA-DER, stated that when he said that he would not give a statement without his lawyer, Yusuf Özperçin, at the gendarmerie station where he was detained, the gendarmerie said, "Not him, he is a terrorist".
After giving their statements at the prosecutor's office, Akdağ, Elçi and Polattaş were referred to Adıyaman 2nd Criminal Judgeship of Peace. Following the procedures here, Akdağ, Elçi and Polattaş were sentenced to be arrested on the grounds of "being members of an illegal organisation " on the grounds of making a declaration in front of the poster of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan with the slogan "Şehid namirin, Bijî Serok Apo" (Martyrs are immortal, long live leader Öcalan) and the statements of a person named Ahmet Kaya who benefited from effective remorse.
