Six Members of Freedom and Solidarity Party released

According to a statement of the police in Çorum (northern Anatolia), six people were taken into police custody on Tuesday (14 June) by reason of having attended celebrations on 1 May. Ulaş Koçak, Çorum Provincial Chairman of the Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP) was among the people in custody.

The group of people was released again at around 5.00 pm the same day after they had been interrogated at the police station.

"Advanced democracy carried on from where they stopped"

Lawyer Suna Coşkun, Member of the ÖDP Central Steering Board (MYK), evaluated the incident in a statement made to bianet. She said that the group of people was taken into custody because they carried a banner during the 1 May celebrations featuring "Long live 1 May, Solidarity of University and High School Students".

Çoşkun emphasized that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) was carrying on with their applications of an "advanced democracy" right from the spot where they had stopped before the elections. She pointed to the fact that the persons who attended the celebration were taken into custody 45 days after the event took place.

"Our friends merely attended the 1 May celebrations. They were taken into police custody after the elections because of the banner reading 'Long live 1 May, Solidarity of University and High School Students'. So this is the 'advanced democracy' of the AKP", Coşkun criticized. (EKN/VK)