Eleven persons were taken into police custody in the scope of an operation against the Union of Kurdistan Communities (KCK), the umbrella organization that includes the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Among the people in custody are journalists Hamdullah Kesen and Şehmus Kabak as well as the Adana Provincial Chairman of the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), Mehmet Zeki Karataş.
The Platform for Solidarity with Detained Journalists protested the custodies on Thursday (8 September). As reported by the Etkin News Agency (ETHA), the participants of the protest action gathered in front of the BDP Adana Provincial Office. They were supported by Labour, Democracy and Freedom Block Deputy for Mersin Ertuğrul Kürkçü, the BDP Chair of the Ceyhan district, the Provincial Chair of Mersin, members of parliament and representatives of the Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) and the Labour Party (EMEP).
On Wednesday night (7 September), teams of the Adana Police Directorate Anti-Terror Branch raided several homes and took eleven people into police custody: BDP Provincial Chair Karataş, Deputy Chair Esmer Ece, Provincial Treasurer Mahmut İşlek, Seyhan District Chair Refik Bayav, member of the Provincial Disciplinary Committee Sabahat Meşe, Dicle News Agency (DİHA) reporter Kesen, former Adana representative of the Azadiya Welat newspaper Kabak, retired imam Mehmet Bozhan, İsa Turan, Mecit Er and Emin Oruç.
"Neither BDP nor its allies will kneel down"
BDP Mersin Deputy Kürkçü condemned the custodies in a statement and demanded the immediate release of the people in custody.
"As it is clear from its name, the BDP is a party that pursues a peaceful struggle and fights for democracy. These operations are part of the war policies of the AKP (Justice and Development Party). The AKP is mistaken if it thinks that the BDP is going to kneel down this way. Neither the BDP nor its allies will kneel down", Kürkçü continued.
"TMY should be cancelled"
The Platform for Solidarity with Detained Journalist made an announcement regarding DİHA Adana reporter Keser and Şehmus Kabak from the Azadiya Welat newspaper. The platform called for the immediate release of both journalists.
The platform stressed that 62 journalists were currently arrested in Turkey. Concern was expressed about a new rise in this number due to the latest custodies. The platform drew attention to the fact that Turkey was in a front position in terms of the number of detained journalists in international comparison. It was highlighted that the much disputed Anti-Terror Law (TMY) should be abolished in order to provide progress in the field of press freedom. (EKN/VK)
