HDP: 143 people detained in two days

* Photo: Mezopotamya Agency (MA)

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Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Law and Human Rights Commission released a statement on Saturday (February 13) and announced that at least 143 people had been taken into custody as part of the operations carried out against students and politicians in İstanbul, Adana, Bursa, Kocaeli and Antep provinces over the past two days.

The party announced that at least 143 people, most of whom were students, had been detained in the operations.

"Among the ones detained in Antep are also two fellow lawyers," the party said and added: "The attacks on the right of defense and defenders are getting more and more intensified as the days pass."

Referring to the People's Alliance of the Justice and Development Party (HDP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the HDP said, "Lawyers opposing the AKP-MHP government are subjected to all types of attacks, detained and arrested. The government perceives the lawyers' defense of rights and freedoms as a threat to its own interests and existence."

The party said, "The government and its junior partner in the alliance, thinking that they can force our colleagues seeking justice, students, journalists and politicians to step back by pressure and force, will lose. The unlawful attacks on the right of defense and demand for democracy must stop and our detained friends must be released."

Police operations in several provinces

Police officers carried out operations against several addresses in Adana, Antep, İstanbul and Şırnak provinces on February 12 and 13. In house raids conducted by the police, several people, including Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and Democratic Regions Party (DBP), were detained.

As part of an investigation by the Adana Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, police raided the residences of 30 people upon detention warrants.

As reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA), with the doors of their houses broken down, 25 people were detained and taken to the security directorate after undergoing a medical examination.

House raids in Antep

As part of an investigation carried out by the Antep Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, police detained several people in house raids in the morning.

Among the detained were also HDP and DBP provincial executives. There were reportedly detention warrants against at least 50 people.

Detentions in İstanbul and Şırnak

Mezopotamya Agency (MA) has also reported that simultaneous operations were conducted in İstanbul on the night of February 12 as part of an investigation by the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.

While at least 20 people had been detained in İstanbul, one HDP member was detained in Şırnak province.

The İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office reportedly issued arrest warrants against 20 people.

The names of detained people are as follows: Murat Yaşa, Erkan Çakan, Mazlum Özbey, Erdoğan Özbey, Tugay Özbey, Ayhan Ekmekçi, İzzet Özmen, Mazlum Kaya, Ahmet Kaya, Ömer Geyik, Barış Koşar, Ramazan Özdemir, İbrahim Güler, Murat Metin, Zehra Yılmaz.

While entering Cizre district in Şırnak, HDP member Mustafa Dal was detained and taken to the district police department. (RT/SD)