143 people including journalists, politicians, lawyers and representatives of non-governmental organizations were taken into custody in 21 cities as a result of an Amed-based political operation on Tuesday.
Two weeks before the May 14 elections, police raids took place in 21 provinces on Tuesday (April 25) as part of an investigation based in Amed (Diyarbakır). Among those detained are journalists, politicians, lawyers, union leaders and artists.
143 people were taken into custody as a result of the operations, while arrest warrants were issued against a total of 216 people. An arbitrary and systematic accusation of "membership in an organization" is cited to justify the detentions.
Out of the 143 detainees, 48 were sent to prison and 89 were released. Six people, including lawyer Gülistan Ataş, are still in police custody.
Those sent to prison are as follows:
Mesopotamia Agency (MA) Editor Abdurrahman Gök, JINNEWS Correspondent Beritan Canözer, journalists Mehmet Şah Oruç, Remzi Akkaya and Mikail Barut; lawyers Serhat Hezer, Burhan Arta and Özüm Vurgun; Halise Aksoy, mother of Agit Aksoy, whose remains were sent to her by post; Halise Aksoy’s daughter Mizgin Karataş; as well as Erkan Vurmaz, Velat Esin, Nasır Tura, Mahir Yıldız, Helin Sayın, Hülya Ertaş, Ahmet Göğün, Şahin Tanrıverdi, Fikri Ay, Hilal Ada, Mehmet Yalçin, Mehmet Andok Bayram, Agit Kaysı, Alattin Zuğurli, Faris Türk, Evin Doster, Nurettin Bakan, Devrim Roni Atik, Kadir Şenci, Berfin Can, Muhsin Acar, Osman Demir, Rumet Çetin, Mehdi Kaya, Cotkar Amara Yürek, Hamza Cihangir, Hasret Yelboğa, Suat Arda Işık, Şahin Biçimli, Hakim Kaya, Tacettin Araz, Nurullah Özgün, Abdulbari Mavlay, Ferit Aktepe, Şervan Doğan, Cesur Yılmaz, Süleyman Ulucan, Hamza Sümeli.
