The European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and World Human Rights (ELDH) issued a statement to condemn the arrest of lawyers, politicians, journalists and artists in Amed and other cities, on 25 April.

The statement called on “the Turkish authorities not to violate the right to free and independent elections by mass arrests.”

The statement also underlined that “the current arrests must be seen in the context of the elections, which will take place in three weeks and are accompanied by numerous violent attacks on opposition figures.”

The European lawyers “denounce this unlawful operation against lawyers, journalists, artists and politicians, and clearly show that this operation aims to undermine the upcoming election process through the judiciary and targets an election process that is not fair and independent. We stand with all the detained people, especially the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (OHD), which is a member of the ELDH.”