A Kurdish musician who is undergoing treatment for cancer has been arrested on terror-related charges in southeastern Turkey despite medical reports confirming her condition, the Mezopotamya news agency reported.
Emel Çiftçi was detained in Diyarbakır province during a hospital visit on Sunday on the grounds that there was an outstanding warrant for her detention.
Çiftçi was in the hospital for treatment due to uterine cancer. She had been advised by doctors to have surgery immediately.
She was subsequently arrested on charges of terrorist organization membership and leading a terrorist organization based on the statements of a secret witness.
Although the name of the terrorist organization was not mentioned, Kurds in Turkey frequently face terrorism charges due to their alleged links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey and much of the international community.
The musician was arrested due to flight risk although her lawyers presented a medical report to the court which proved that she suffers from uterine cancer and should undergo surgery immediately.
Çiftçi was sent to the Diyarbakır Women’s Prison.