Seventeen HDP politicians arrested in Turkey, including Kars Co-Mayor Ayhan Bilgen

October 2, 2020

October 2, 2020

Statements from 20 people, including Kars Municipality Co-Chair Ayhan Bilgen and Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) former MP Sırrı Süreyya Önder, were completed at the prosecutor’s office. The 20 HDP members were sent to the Penal Court of Peace on duty by the prosecutor’s office for arrest. Seventeen of the HDP politicians were arrested.

Former HDP MP and Imralı Delegation member Sırrı Süreyya Önder, HDP former deputy Altan Tan and Gülfer Akkaya were released under condition of judicial control. The court also imposed overseas travel bans on them.

The HDP members who have been arrested are HDP’s Kars Co-Mayor Ayhan Bilgen, Berfin Köse, HDP’s Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) member Ali Ürküt, HDP Foreign Relations Commission member Nazmi Gür, HDP former Central Executive Committee member Alp Altınörs, former member of the HDP Central Executive Board Can Memiş, HDP former deputy Ayla Akat Ata, Gülfer Akkaya, HDP former MYK member Bircan Yorulmaz, Professor Beyza Üstün, Dilek Yağlı, Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) former Co-Chairs Emine Ayna and Günay Kubilay Bülent Parmaksız, Pervin Oduncu, İsmail Şengün, Cihan Erdal and Zeki Çelik.

Minutes after the court’s ruling, the Interior Ministry appointed a trustee to Kars Municipality, replacing Kars Co-Mayor Ayhan Bilgen with Governor Türker Öksüz. Six of the deputies who had been sent to Ankara Courthouse, where the HDP members under custody were located, were not allowed to enter the court room where the ruling was being made, due to a decision that was made by the attorney general’s office.

As reported by EuroJournalist, Thomas Hammarberg and John Howell, Co-Rapporteurs for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), issued a statement: “We are greatly concerned by the detention warrants issued against 101 members of the HDP on 25 September and 1 October 2020, notably for their alleged responsibility in the 2014 ‘Kobane protests’”.

Background information

Ankara’s Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office decided to detain 82 people in seven provinces within the scope of the investigation launched into the 6-8 October ‘Kobanî protests’ of 2014. Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Kars Municipality Co-Mayors Ayhan Bilgen and Sırrı Süreyya Önder were taken into custody as part of this operation.

Warrants have been issued against other HDP members in seven provinces in Turkey. Former Central Executive Committee HDP members have reportedly been detained. Former HDP MP’s, Co-Chairs and members of the Central Executive Board (MYK) have also been detained.

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