Socialist Party of the Oppressed Chair Otlu Arrested

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Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) Chair Çiçek Otlu has been arrested.

After being detained on August 21 in Ankara, Otlu was brought before Ankara Court yesterday (August 22).

Connecting to Tunceli Court through a sound and vision information technology system, Otlu testified "I revoke this decision which intends to hinder my political actions".

She will stand trial on November 8, 2017.

Otlu was previously taken into custody in İstanbul on April 4, 2017 as a part of an operation carried out simultaneously in 11 provinces.

She was transferred to Dersim, a predominantly Kurdish province in eastern Turkey which was the home base of the operation and was released after 7 days in detention.

After her release, another warrant was issued to forcibly take her upon objection by the Prosecutor's Office to her release.

As a part of the investigation carried out in April, ESP Central Executive Board member İlke Başak Baydar, Federation of Socialist Youth Foundations Central Executive Board member Beren Atıcı and Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) MP Ekber Kaya were also arrested along with many others.

About Çiçek Otlu

Çiçek Otlu is the Chairperson of Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP). Before the general elections on June 12, 2011, she was among the independent MPs whom the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), a preceding political party of Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) would support.

Arguing that she had a criminal record, Supreme Election Board has rejected Otlu's candidateship twice and she could not run for the elections.

She was among the 34 people who taken into custody on August 18, 2013 in police operations to Etkin News Agency (ETHA), Özgür Radio (Free Radio) and Atılım Newspaper. (EKN/DG)