Human Rights Association Co-Chair, HDP executives detained

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In house raids carried out in early morning hours in Turkey's İstanbul, Ankara, Eskişehir and Adana provinces today (March 19), Human Rights Association (İHD) Co-Chair Öztürk Türkdoğan, Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Ankara Women's Assembly Spokesperson Zeyno Bayramoğlu, Party Assembly member Ali Özkan, HDP Eskişehir Co-Chair Şükriye Ercan, Hüseyin Gevher and Betül Koca have been taken into custody.

CLICK - Closure case against HDP, 697 people face political ban

In a brief message shared on the Twitter account of the İHD Central Office, it is stated, "Our Co-Chair Öztürk Türkdoğan was taken into custody this morning. This operation, with its reason not yet known, is the last and obvious example of the pressure on human rights defenders. We will keep informing the public about the process."

'A 3-4-front operation'

Making a statement about the detentions on his social media account, former HDP MP Ferhat Encü has also said, "We have once again woken up this morning with operations of detention! HDP's district Co-Chairs and executives in İstanbul and İHD Co-Chair Öztürk Türkdoğan and HDP executives in Ankara... You cannot end it."

Ahmet Saymadi has also tweeted that "a wave of detentions in 3 or 4 fronts has been underway this morning." He has briefly said:

"10 people, including Beşiktaş and Kağıthane district co-chairs of the HDP in İstanbul... Detention for HDP members in Adana... Detention for those who attended the commemoration ceremony held for the Gazi massacre... Detention for some HDP and İHD executives."

Prof. Yaman Akdeniz has also tweeted, "Human Rights Action Plan is enforced at full speed. In the early morning hours today, Human Rights Association Co-Chair Öztürk Türkdoğan was detained."

State-run agency: Operation against the PKK

The state-run Anadolu Agency (AA) has covered the operations with the headline, "Operation against the PKK terrorist organization İstanbul", referring to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

According to AA, the teams of İstanbul Security Directorate's Counter-terrorism Branch started working to catch 15 people "detected to engage in activities in the city in the name of the PKK" and "launched simultaneous operations against 15 addresses in 4 districts within this scope."

The state-run news agency has reported that 10 people, including the Kağıthane and Beşiktaş co-chairs of the HDP, have been detained. While their related procedures are reportedly still ongoing at the security directorate, there are still works to "catch" five people.

Operation in Adana

State channel TRT News has also reported that "15 suspects have been caught in the operation supported by the special operations teams against the PKK/KCK" in the  Mediterranean province of Adana.

According to TRT News, an operation was launched to catch eight people "identified to attend illegal demonstrations and marches organized by the organization" and seven people who allegedly "propagandized for a terrorist organization" on social media platforms.

With their houses raided, 15 people have been taken to the security directorate following their medical check at the hospital.

Minister Soylu targeted İHD

Addressing the General Assembly of the Parliament regarding the killings in the Gare region, Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu targeted the Human Rights Association (İHD), saying,"Since 1984, the terrorist organization has massacred 6 thousand 21 civilians. The Human Rights Association, that cursed association... Has it said anything about it? You are going after it."

Closure case against HDP

The Chief Public Prosecutor of the Court of Cassation filed a closure case against the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) by appealing to the Constitutional Court on March 17. While tThe indictment has been sent to the top court, the indictment prepared by Court of Cassation's Chief Public Prosecutor Bekir Şahin requested a political ban on 687 HDP politicians.

The Court of Cassation launched an inquiry against the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) on March 2, 2021. The Political Parties Bureau of the Court of Cassation's Chief Public Prosecutor's Office sent an official letter to the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and requested the Kobane indictment filed against 108 defendants, including imprisoned former HDP Co-Chairs Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ.

As part of the investigation into the Kobane protests from seven years ago, summaries of proceedings have been issued against 9 HDP MPs, including HDP Co-Chair Pervin Buldan. The prosecutor's office of the high court requested these summaries as well, while the sources close to the office said that "it was a routine procedure." (TP/SD)