Many were detained for protesting isolation imposed on Öcalan

Photo: MA

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Police intervened in the march protesting the isolation of the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan who has been kept in solitary confinement at İmralı F Type Prison, within the borders of the district of Gemlik. 

Activists gathered in the Kadıköy district of İstanbul yesterday (Jun 12) aiming to join a march in Gemlik demanding an immediate end to Öcalan's isolation.

The march which was to be held with the motto "We are marching to Gemlik against the isolation policy" was organized by Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), Democratic Society Congress (DTK), Peoples' Democratic Congress (HDK), Free Women's Movement (TJA), the Democratic Regions Party (DBP), and Med Federation of Associations for Legal Aid and Solidarity with Families of Arrestees and Convicts (MED TUHAD-FED).

Police blockaded the HDP deputies

The protesters gathered on Serasker Street to march toward Bahariye Street, but the police prevented the crowd. 50 people were detained by torture, reported by Mezopotamya News Agency.

Police also tried to prevent the journalists from following the protest and forced them to leave the region.

"You will not silence us"

HDP Group Deputy Chair Meral Danış Beştaş said, "Today, the İstanbul Police Department is trying to prevent the HDP from announcing its stance against the isolation."

"They continue to commit crimes by preventing the MP's and people. However, they forget about something; you can not silence us."

Stating that keeping Öcalan in isolation is aimed at continuing the war policy of the state, Beştaş said:

"More than 3 million people signed for Mr. Öcalan. You will not be able to prevent us from protesting isolation, this shows your fear, this shows your lawlessness, this shows your arbitrariness and fascism. Even though you did not let us march in Gemlik today, millions of people are shouting with one voice, one heart against the isolation. We will break this isolation together. Together we will bring peace, democracy, and freedoms to this country. HDP is not going to step back and people will not going to step back against you."

People chanted the slogans "Isolation everywhere, resistance everywhere" , "Shoulder to shoulder against fascism."

The last time Öcalan had any contact with a family member was on 25 March 2021 with his brother Mehmet Öcalan, a very brief telephone conversation which was cut off after only a few minutes.

The last time Öcalan's lawyers were able to contact him was three years ago, in August 2019.

The names of people who were detained are as follows:

1-Nezir Altıntaş
2-Elif Bulut
3-Pınar Türk
4-Erhan Bayrak
5-Halis Bingöl
6-İlknur Birol
7-Elif Yıldız
8-Evren Talu
9-Mehmet Masyan
10-Aslan Demir
11-Özlem Gümüştaş
12-Deniz Aktaş
13-Aygül Sincar
14-Ferhat Encü
15-Sedat Şenoğlu
16-Ezgi Gürbüz
17-İsmail Temel
18-Roni Gören
19-Koray Türkay
20-Esengül Demir
21-Burcu Gül Çubuk
22-Mürüvet Küçük
23-Birgül İrin
24-Aydın Koçuk
25-Eylem Çelik
26-Rıdvan Karataş
27-Ali İpekli
28-Ünal Yusufoğlu
29-Ali Emre Ecer
30-Esra Üşüdür
31-Suavi bayrak
32-Beyza Karaer
33-Remzi Akbulut
34-Sinem Yıldırım
35-Demet Gülüş
36-Ferhat Yıldırım
37-Ali Menteşağu
38-Mehmet Nuri Candan
39-Songül Alagöz
40-Hilal Başak
41-Ensar Açık
42-Hacer Yaşar
43-Salih Öner
44-Mesut Tağu
45-Mehmet Çelebi
46-Nevzat Yeziz
47-Gülden Doğan
48-Çiğdem Kılıçgün Uçar
49-Hayrettin Baydar
50-Orhan Uzuner

(RT/TB)