Within the scope of the investigation carried out by the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, 48 of the 144 people detained in the days leading up to the election were arrested, while 91 were released. Human Rights Association (IHD) President Eren Keskin and Turkish Medical Association (TTB) Central Council President Şebnem Korur Fincancı also participated in the rally in response to the operations.
In the direction of the statements of Ümit Akbıyık, an open witness by the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, 48 of the 144 people detained on April 25 as part of the pre-election operation in 21 provinces of Diyarbakır, including journalists, politicians, artists and representatives of civil society organizations, were arrested on the grounds of being “members of an organization” and 91 were released. Five people, including lawyer Gülistan Ataş, are still in custody.
The rally of Human Rights advocates in front of the Human Rights Monument in Koşuyolu Park in Rezan district against the operation was attended by Eren Keskin, the President of the Human Rights Association (IHD), Şebnem Korur Fincancı, the President of the Central Council of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB), and representatives of democratic mass organizations in the city.
“We are not finished, we do exist, and we will continue to do so”
Keskin, who spoke first, stated that this was an operation against the Kurds’ right to exist. “They are uncomfortable with the fact that we are Kurdish lawyers, artists, journalists, and politicians. Our existence disturbs them,” Keskin said, concluding his speech with the words, “Enough is enough. Stop your attacks now. We are not finished; we do exist and will continue to exist.”
Speaking next, TTB, the Turkish Medical Association Central Council Chairman Korur underlined that the government is preparing for elections with arrests and detentions. Korur stated that the state, which has not developed any effective investigation mechanism regarding the enforced disappearances, detains and punishes those who struggle for rights. Korur concluded her remarks by saying they would not give up the struggle.
“It is too grave to be evaluated within the election agenda”
Abdullah Zeytun, head of the Diyarbakir branch of the HRA, the Human Rights Association, said the state operations are continuing, recalling Dicle Müftüoğlu, co-chairman of the Dicle Fırat Journalists Association, and Sedat Yılmaz, editor of the Mesopotamia Agency, who were detained this morning in house raids as part of the Ankara-based investigation.
Zeytun underlined that the operations were too grave to be evaluated only within the election agenda and reminded that these attacks were not attacks that started or ended with this government but had a history. Zeytun concluded by reiterating his demand for the release of those detained.
Source: Mesopotamia Agency
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