Tactics and tools for the protection
of Human Rights Defenders

17 January 2012

31 out of a total of 38 people taken into police custody on 13 January in the scope of an operation against the Union of Kurdistan Communities (KCK) were arrested on Monday (16 January) by the Istanbul 14^th High Criminal Court at the Beşiktaş (Istanbul) Courthouse.

A total of 38 people were taken into police custody during the latest series of crackdowns on provincial and district offices of the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), the head office of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Public Employees (KESK) and various non-governmental organizations at 123 addresses in 17 different provinces. 35 people were taken to court with the demand for their arrest.

The people taken in custody included former Democratic People Party (DEHAP) Chairman Tuncer Bakırhan, former MP and BDP Deputy Co-Chair Fatma Kurtulan and Dicle News Agency (DİHA) Ankara reporter Murat Çiftçi. Bakırhan and Kurtulan were also arrested.

Operations still going on

Özgür Gündem (’Free Agenda’) editor Hatice Bozkurt was taken into police custody on Monday night. He was previously taken into custody on 23 December in an operation against journalists and released after the interrogation at the prosecutor’s office.

Gülten Çatalbaş, bodyguard and driver of BDP Deputy Sebahat Tuncel, was taken into custody on Monday evening by police officers who checked his ID at the Beşiktaş Courthouse.

An operation supported by helicopters was carried out in the morning in Gülsuyu in the district of Maltepe (Istanbul). Homes were raided simultaneously during the operation of the Anti-Terror Branch Directorate and eight people were taken into custody. (NV/AS)

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