Political arrests continue: 31 detained

Political arrests continue: 31 detained

The Turkish police are continuing their operations against the Kurdish people with the intention of intimidating them. 31 more arrests have been reported in house raids in Erzurum, Aydın, Mardin and Varto.

Turkish police looking to provoke

This morning in the Tekman district of Erzurum the police raided houses in various villages and neighbourhoods, detaining 11 people. During the raids the police ransacked houses and swore at the occupants. Police violence has increased since the AKP government gave the police the power of arrest. Fırat Koçak, Musa Memişoğlu, Yahya Kemal Doğan, Recep Tepe, Murat Tepe, Beytullah Tepe, Metin Özkurt, Ferit Bulak, Sinan Bulak, Recep Turan and Recep Sarıkan were taken to the district police HQ.

The reason given for the arrests of these 11 people was their taking part in a protest in the district against attacks on Kobanê that took place on 27 September.

State of Emergency in Varto, police terror continues

In the town of Varto all roads were blocked prior to raids, recalling the time of the state of emergency. Hundreds of police in armoured vehicles broke down doors and arrested at least 9 people. Those detained were named as Orhan Coşkun, Maşallah Gümgüm, Seyithan Şahin, Adar Barut, Çetin Turgut, Bışar Akbal, Ercan Aktay, Elvan Dere and Samet Karahan.

Police remain on the streets in Varto, which has been surrounded by armoured vehicles..

Raids in Nazilli in Aydın province

Police also carried out raids in the district of Nazilli in Aydın province near the Aegean. 8 people were arrested in connection with Kobanê protests. Those detained have been named as Erkan Tayfur, Heşem Akyüz, Engin Akyüz, Ahmet Akyüz, Emin Ekici, Ersin Aylar Mustafa Orhak and Erkan Beyazduman.

Mardin

In the district of Derik in Mardin province three employees of the municipality, Vedat Erol, Abdulkadir Ödünç and M. Salih Aydın were detained after being summoned to the district police HQ on the grounds they supported the Kobanê resistance. Two of three people detained yesterday in the town were subsequently remanded in custody for attending a Kobanê protest.