Arrest Demand for DİHA Reporter Mazlum Dolan

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Dicle News Agency (DİHA) reporter Mazlum Dolan along with other five people detained after stuck in Sur district of Diyarbakır province have been referred to court over demand for arrest.

Dolan was confined in a house in Sur under curfew together with Ateş family members. Dolan and the other five were detained and taken to Diyarbakır Security Directorate Anti-Terror Branch on February 19.

DİHA stated that Dolan was taken into custody after he carried Fatma Ateş to where ambulance was waiting. Ateş had lost her life.

Hüsamettin Ateş, Sinem Ateş, Fatma Ateş (her daughter), Fahrettin Ateş, Ekrem Karatay and Mazlum Dolan were brough to Diyarbakır Courthose after their testimony procedures. Dolan and the other five testifying to prosecutor have been referred to the court over demand for arrest.

What had happened?

Mazlum Dolan was after news in Sur district where has been under curfew over 79 days.

DİHA contacting Dolan on February 17 learned that he was stuck in a basement together with many others.

He said the following in his message he sent to DİHA via phone:

“The situation is bad; we are in a basement. I am with families, soon an incident similar to the one in Cizre may occur. The clashes are very fierce, the places where we are having been heavily bombed by mortar and tanks. Announces saying ‘We will strike from air, kill you all’ are being made. Take care of yourselves, greetings to friends.

“There are wounded, some of them are in serious condition. There are 30 people in where I am. There is around 200 people in other places including elders and babies”.

The European Court of Human Rights had denied the appeal for “interim measure” by attorneys of Libertarian Legists Association and Mesopotamia Legists Association.

Journalists including News Watch participants had marched towards Sur for Dolan and civilians on February 19. Journalists being blocked by police had staged a sit-in act.

Dolan and the other five people accompanying him were detained on February 19. (BK/TK)