Seventeen people, including politicians, journalists, lawyers and human rights activists who were among 231 individuals detained earlier this week due to their alleged links to terrorist organizations, have been referred to court for arrest, the pro-Kurdish Mezopotamya news agency reported on Friday.
Among those who were remanded to court for arrest following their detention as part of a series of coordinated raids across 30 provinces on November 26 were Sevtap Akdağ, co-chair of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party); Nimet Tanrıkulu, a founding member of the Human Rights Association (İHD); Remzi Çalışkan, deputy chair of the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK); and Kemal Göksoy, its regional representative, in addition to journalists Mehmet Üçar, Erdoğan Alayumat, Serap Güneş, Bilge Aksu and Tuğçe Yılmaz.
The prosecutor’s office also sent Health and Social Service Workers Union (SES) member Leyla Doğan and journalists Bilal Seçkin, Havin Derya and Suzan Demir to court, requesting their release under judicial supervision measures, Mezopotamya said.
Meanwhile, members of DİSK gathered in front of the Ankara Courthouse in support of Çalışkan and Göksoy, holding a banner that read, “We will not bow to injustice, unionism is not a crime.” DİSK members also chanted the slogans “Long live DİSK, long live Genel-İş” and “Rights, law, justice.”
Gazeteci, siyasetçi ve sendikacılar adliyeye sevk edildi
DİSK üyeleri, gözaltında bulunan Remzi Çalışkan ve Kemal Göksoy'a destek amacıyla Ankara Adliyesi önünde toplandıhttps://t.co/kdZlCiMLNl pic.twitter.com/seJGJ898IU
— Evrensel Gazetesi (@evrenselgzt) November 29, 2024
Authorities have accused the detainees, including mayors, journalists, activists and labor union leaders, of conducting political and media activities on behalf of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), the Democratic Union Party (PYD) or the People’s Defense Units (YPG); financing terrorism; spreading propaganda on social media; and participating in illegal protests causing damage to public property. Officials also reported confiscating unlicensed firearms, hunting rifles, blank-firing guns and digital material.
The PKK has been designated a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies. It has conducted an a war against Turkey since the 1980s, advocating for Kurdish rights and autonomy.
The KCK is an umbrella group associated with the PKK, overseeing its political and military structures. The PYD is the PKK’s Syrian affiliate, while the YPG serves as its armed wing and has been a key player in the Syrian civil war. Turkish authorities have long targeted these groups in domestic and cross-border operations.