The Associations of Help for Prisoners' Families Federation (TUHAD-FED) Ankara Representative Office and Human Rights Association (IHD) Ankara Branch held a press conference regarding the detention of TUHAD-FED Ankara Representative Havva Özcan and executive Daimi Gören who were taken into custody in the province of Afyon during a visit to prisoners in Afyon jail on Monday.

IHD Ankara Branch Chair Cengiz Mendillioğlu stressed that Özcan and Gören were detained by narcotic police for alleged "drug and arms trafficking", and said this was a new method in the policy of repression and threat against prisoners' families and human rights defenders. "It looks like the state, which has overcrowded prisons with people who demand freedom and equality, now aims to sever prisoners all ties with the outside world", Mendillioğlu underlined.

Reminding of the recently increasing transfer of prisoners from Kurdistan to various parts of the country, and the denial of their families the opportunity to visit their relatives, IHD Chair said it was a useless effort to associate TUHAD-FED and human rights activists with drug and arms trafficking, and underlined; "We announce once again that we will not give in to the pressures, detentions, arrests and the terror of the state. The more attacks we face, the more we will demand the release of ill prisoners and stand by the children in prison".

Speaking after, TUHAD-FED Ankara Representative Havva Özcan told the followings about how and why they were detained; "We were surrounded by 15-20 police officers while waiting outside the prison for a visit to prisoners. Police said we had been informed against and took us to the police headquarters. They claimed that we were carrying cannabis and arms in the car and that we were doing this in order to provide financial contribution to the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party). The problem is that we were using deputy Nursel Aydoğan's car but police asked us about the license number of Daimi's car which he actually doesn't have".

Özcan pointed out that "we will continue giving struggle for prisoners and not leave them alone no matter what we face".

Speaking after, TUHAD-FED Ankara Representative Mehmet Baytekin condemned the repression they were subjected to and called on the Ministry of the Interior to end groundless accusations against human rights defenders. Baytekin added that they would file a criminal complaint against the unfair practices they faced.