‘Detained’ Human Rights Monument

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After academic Nuriye Gülmen and teacher Semih Özakça were detained in a house raid on the 75th day of their hunger strike, the Human Rights Monument in front of which they were sitting since the beginning of their resistance has been “detained” as well.

After the detention of Gülmen and Özakça, who were fired through the statutory decree and went on hunger strike to be reinstated to their jobs, the people who have carried out protests in support of Gülmen and Özakça since May 22 faced police intervention and detentions.

In the second detention wave, police “detained” the Human Rights Monument and encircled the area with barriers because Gülmen and Özakça were detained on the grounds that “it might trigger an event like Gezi Resistance or Tekel Resistance”.

A woman sitting with a book in her hand

The Human Rights Monument holding “the Declaration of Human Rights” in her hand is situated on the intersection of Konur Street and Yüksel Street in Ankara.

The monument was built in 1990 and witnessed many demonstrations throughout its history. (TP/EKN/TK)