Social Media Operation in 6 Cities

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A large number of people including politicians, artists, rights defenders and journalists have been detained in home raids in six cities including İstanbul and İzmir due to their social media posts about the offensive launched into Afrin.

Rights defenders and journalists were detained

Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation on charges of “inciting people to enmity and hostility” and “propagandizing for the PKK/KCK/PYD-YPG and DEAŞ [ISIS] terrorist organizations” via social media. Intelligence, Directorate of Anti-Terror and Cyber Crimes teams investigated the social media posts as part of the investigation.

Ankara Security Directorate carried out an operation into those who shared messages on the social media about the military campaign last night (January 22).

Human Rights Association (İHD) Ankara Executive and Prison Commission member Nuray Çevirmen and İHD Central Executive Board member Adnan Vural were detained in a house raid.

Mezopotamya Agency reported that Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Party Assembly member Kemal Bülbül, HDP Ankara Provincial Executive Osman Konukçu were detained following the home search. Police also raided homes of HDP Ankara Provincial Executive Zeynep Bayramoğlu and her sister HDP Çankaya District executive Aslı Bayramoğlu.

Mezopotamya Agency correspondent Hayri Demir, Artı TV Representative to Ankara Sibel Hürtaş and director Fatih Kanat’s homes were raided by police. Demirtaş, Hürtaş and Kanat were detained.

Retired teacher A.U.O. who denounced the campaign on the social media was taken into custody as well.

Operation into HDP members in Bodrum

HDP Muğla Provincial Co-Chair Fatoş A. and M.P. were detained in the operation in Bodrum, Muğla. There is a detention warrant for the suspect named Z.H. (AS/TK)