Turkish police stormed several houses in Istanbul province today in an operation against the HDP (Peoples’ Democratic Party) in Esenyurt district.

Nine members of the HDP Youth Assembly were taken into custody in the operation, accused of membership and spreading propaganda for an illegal organization. The detainees were reportedly taken to the anti-terror branch of the Istanbul security directorate.

The HDP Youth Council in Istanbul said: “The fascist AKP government thinks it could destroy us through an indiscriminate arrest and torture campaign. You cannot finish us off.”