Urfa Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has once again targeted citizens enjoying their right to assembly and demonstration. An investigation has been launched against a total of 33 people, 19 of whom are lawyers.

The reason for the investigation is a press statement made in front of the Urfa Courthouse on April 25. The prosecutor accuses 33 people of violating “Law No. 2911 on meetings and demonstrations”.

In April, the Urfa Branch of the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) protested the detention of more than 190 people, including many journalists, politicians and lawyers, after an Amed-based police operation.

The names of citizens under investigation are as follows: “Lawyers Sümeyye Koç, Nahide Polat Aslan, Müslüm Saraçoğlu, Mehmet Ali Aslan, Fazilet Taştan, Ayşe Şehirban Demirel, Sevda Çelik Özbingöl, Gizem Dilara İnal Gülhan, Hidayet Enmek, Ali Arslan, Mustafa Göngen, Dilan Demir, Serhan Paydaş, İHD Urfa Co-Chair lawyer Mustafa Vefa, HDP Provincial Co-Chair Ahmet Atış, ÖHD Urfa Branch Co-Chairs Meral Halat and İbrahim Halil Öyke, 3 lawyers whose names could not be identified, Greens and Left Future Party Urfa Deputy Ferit Şenyaşar, HDP Provincial Co-Chair Garip Yeşil, former HDP Deputy Nusretin Maçin, HDP Eyyübiye District Co-Chair Emin Tutal and İbrahim Halil Alpay, Metropolitan Municipality Council Member Sema Aişeoğlu, Memduh Kızgit, Atilla Yazar, İHD executive member Cemal Babaoğlu, Urfa Medical Chamber Head Bulut Ezer, SES Branch Co-chair Salih Karataş, Mehmet Sıdkı Dehşet and Salih Canbeyli.”

INVESTIGATION AGAINST THOSE WHO ATTENDED THE MAY DAY EVENT

A similar investigation has been launched against 7 people who participated in the May Day celebration.

Those subjected to the investigation are: HDP Urfa Provincial Co-Chair Ahmet Atış, ÖHD Urfa Branch Co-Chair İbrahim Halil Öyke, Lawyer Bülent Aşa, lawyer Sevda Çelik Özbingöl, Education and Science Workers' Union (EĞİTİM SEN) Branch Co-Chair Mahmut Binici, Chamber of Physicians Urfa Branch manager Kemal Yüksekkaya and Green Left Party Youth Council Member Mahmut Çoban.

Urfa Chief Public Prosecutor's Office accuses 7 people of “inciting hatred and hostility”.