Turgan, Uyguner Arrested in Commemoration Event for Kaypakkaya, are Released

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Rights defender Harun Turgan and Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) former provincial administrator Bülent Uyguner were released yesterday after being detained in May for participating in a commemoration event for İbrahim Kaypakkaya, a leader of the communist movement in Turkey and founder of the Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist-Leninist (TKP/ML) who was tortured and murdered in 1973 in prison.

Harun Turgan was taken into custody along with other seven people on May 21, 2017 during a press statement for a commemoration event for Kaypakkaya in Kadıköy district of İstanbul.

On May 24, he was arrested together with HDP former provincial administrator Bülent Uyguner, who was also among the detainees and was sent to prison.

Standing trial on charges of "committing crimes for a terrorist organization without being members" and "propagandizing for a terrorist organization," Turgan and Uyguner were released by İstanbul 30th Heavy Criminal Court yesterday (September 6).

There were six other people who were standing trial on probation as a part of the same case. In the hearing, Turgan and Uyguner were released, and the court ruled that the probation order for the other six defendants standing trial be lifted. (BK/DG)