Police raid Human Rights Association Diyarbakır Branch
* Photo and news: Mezopotamya Agency (MA)
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The Diyarbakır Branch of the Human Rights Association (İHD) in Yenişehir district was raided by the police in the early morning hours today (February 3). Blockading the building in Turkey's Kurdish-majority southeastern province of Diyarbakır, the police started a search there.
The reason for the raid is reportedly an investigation carried out by the Adıyaman Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against Ferhat Berkpınar, a member of the İHD Diyarbakır Branch's executive board.
In a statement made on the Twitter account of the İHD Diyarbakır Branch, it has been announced that in a raid on his residence around the same hours, branch secretary Ferhat Berkpınar has been detained.
'Police broke the door, seized İHD documents'
İHD Diyarbakır Chair Abdullah Zeytun has made a statement following the search that lasted for nearly half an hour.
According to Zeytun, "while the police said that they came to the İHD Diyarbakır Branch to take action about the detention of Ferhat Berkpınar, documents and information that do not directly concern him and the ones covering nearly 33 years of İHD's activities were also seized."
"The personal belongings of the employees have been seized as well," Zeytun has noted, adding that "their objections and requests were not accepted and they were not even taken down in minutes."
Zeytun has also indicated that they, as the İHD Diyarbakır Branch, have not been given any information or documents on the grounds that there is a restriction order on the investigation file. "An unlawful action was taken," he has said, announcing that they will file a criminal complaint.
Besides, the requests of lawyers for meeting Ferhat Berkpınar in detention have also been rejected on the grounds that there is a ban on visitation. Zeytun has said that as far as they have been informed, Berkpınar will be taken to Adıyaman, where the investigation is carried out.
Zeytun has also noted that the police entered the İHD Diyarbakır Branch office by breaking down its door. While Zeytun has denounced this action, Diyarbakır Bar Association Chair Nahit Eren has underlined:
"This is not a workplace, this is an association and the procedure to follow to search association is set by the law. It is impossible for us to accept that the door of the branch was opened by force without informing any officials at the branch. So, we will raise the necessary objections." (TP/SD)