Mister Detainees Should be Freed at Once

Lawyer Selahattin Demirtas, the Diyarbakir head of the Human Rights Association (IHD) criticized the fact that two local officials of the pro-Kurdish Democratic People's Party (DEHAP) were arrested because they referred to Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan as "Mister" Demirtas said Nedim Bicer and Sadiye Surer should be freed at once.

"Mister prosecutors and mister police officers cannot decide how one is to refer to a person," said Demirtas in a statement.

"Way of referring is not an expression of opinion. In order to convey an opinion, one needs to say at least one sentence. However, MISTER officials can arrest people because of just one single word. This is a very clear violation of law and human rights," added Demirtas. (EO/BB)