Turkey continues to tighten the screws of repression against left-wing and socialist circles. At least twelve people were taken into custody in Istanbul and Izmir on Tuesday, including several women. In a concentrated large-scale operation, police units stormed several apartments in both metropolises at the same time and carried out meticulous searches. The operation is being carried out under the label "counter-terrorism" and is being led by the Izmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. Further information was initially unclear, as a 24-hour ban on lawyers was ordered.

According to the Istanbul-based Law Office of the Oppressed (EHB), all those detained are activists and actors from structures such as the Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) and the Partizan organization. The ESP gave their names and functions as follows:

Tanya Kara; spokesperson of the Socialist Women's Councils (SKM)

Meliha Kayacı and Hacer Elçin; members of the General Council of SKM

Ezgi Gürbüz; Member of the Executive Council of the SKM

Uğur Ok; member of the ESP party council and survivor of the Suruç massacre

Ali Haydar Keleş; member of the party council of the ESP

Sıtkı Güngör; Member of the DEM Party Council

Mehmet Acettin; Editor of the left-wing agency ETHA and member of the Central Council of the Human Rights Association (IHD)

Hüseyin Gültepe; owner of the left-wing publishing house Ceylan Publishing House and member of ESP

Ali Karaçay, Mesut Çeki and Mesut Gerçek; members of the ESP

According to as yet unconfirmed information, Barış Kayaoğlu, spokesperson for the Federation of Socialist Councils (SMF), was also taken into custody. According to the EHB Law Office, the raids were characterized by massive violence. Uğur Ok suffered a laceration to his head during his detention. Ezgi Gürbüz was hit so hard in the face that her glasses broke. The ESP sees the operation as a "targeted purge" in the run-up to the local elections to be held in Turkey on March 31.