The Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK), Free Women’s Movement (TJA), Democratic Regions Party (DBP), Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), United Forces of Struggle (BMG) and the Aegean Association for Solidarity with the Families of Prisoners and Convicts (EGE-TUHAYDER) organized a demonstration at the Konak Square in the western province of İzmir on Sunday in protest at war and the isolation regime imposed on Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan.

Yet before the beginning of the protest march, the crowd was encircled by the police before a violent crackdown in which at least 50 people were taken into custody and handcuffed behind their backs, according to the Human Rights Association (IHD) observers.

Young demonstrators protested the crackdown chanting the slogan “Human dignity will prevail over torture” as they started to march towards Konak Square, which was already besieged by the police, with nobody being allowed to approach.

The activists were faced with another police crackdown after they managed to reach the square.

On the other hand, police also prevented HDP deputies Serpil Kemalbay and Felaknas Uca from making a statement at the Konak Square. The journalists covering the demonstration were also kept away from the square.