Turkish police stepped up operations against Kurdish activists and politicians ahead of Kurdish New Year (Newroz) celebrations.

In Ankara, Turkish police raided several homes early on Tuesday morning. Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) official Sulhattin Deger, Mine Metin, JINHA reporter Duygu Erol were detained and taken to Ankara Security Directorate.

Police also raided Mezopotamya Agency reporter Selami Aslan, but Aslan couldn’t be found at home.

In similar operations, 16 people were detained in Istanbul.

In Sirnak’s Cizre district and Kumcati town, Turkish police detained several people including Lutfiye Duymak, wife of Mahmut Dumak who was killed by Turkish soldiers during Cizre massacre in 2016.

Locals report police raids in Mardin’s Savur district where members of Savur Town Council Gulbahar Soygit and Osman Aksoy were detained.