Arrested HDP Deputy Akdoğan Responds to Vice PM Kurtulmuş

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Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Hakkari MP Nihat Akdoğan in his statement he made at Silivri Prison No.9 where he is held, has responded to Vice Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmuş’s allegations.

Akdoğan said he was detained at Hakkari city center, not at the border and Kurtulmuş’s allegations are not true”.

Arrested on November 7, Akdoğan met with HDP İstanbul Provincial Co-Chair Doğan Erbaş, who came to visit him at Silivri Prison. Akdoğan delivered his statement via Erbaş.

“I was detained at center, not border”

Akdoğan’s press statement is briefly as follows:

“Governmental Spokesperson Numan Kurtulmuş’s statement about me that ‘he was caught at Hakkari border trying to escape’ is completely false. This statement intended to create a perception against me and my party. Kurtulmuş obviously lied.

“I, my advisor and a group of party members were detained at police check point during police search at the city center on November 7.

“My detention process can be seen by examining camera recordings of the police check point. Besides, there were tens of people around witnessing my detention.The border where Kurtulmuş claimed I was ‘captured’ is 80 km away from the city center.

“I am not an arrestee, I am a hostage. I know we will overcome these difficult days all together”.

What had happened?

On November 4, HDP Co-Chairs Figen Yüksekdağ and Selahattin Demirtaş, HDP Group Deputy Chair İdris Baluken, Şırnak MPs Leyla Birlik, Ferhat Encü, Diyarbakır MP Nursel Aydoğan, Hakkari MPs Selma Irmak, Abdullah Zeydani and Mardin MP Gülser Yıldırım were arrested.

Detained during the same operation, Diyarbakır MPs Ziya Pir and İmam Taşçıer, and Ankara MP Sırrı Süreyya Önder were released on condition of judicial control.

The number of arrested HDP deputies has risen to 10 with the arrest of Akdoğan. (AS/TK)