Court arrests two HDP deputies on terror charges

DİYARBAKIR

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A court in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır on Dec. 13 ordered the arrest of two deputies from the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) for alleged links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), state-run Anadolu Agency has reported.

Besime Konca, who was detained late on Dec. 12 in a counter-terrorism investigation, was arrested on charges of “being a member of an armed terrorist organization” and “making terrorist propaganda.” 

Konca had been briefly released before being detained once more following an objection by the prosecutor. During her brief release, Konca said she had been subjected to torture by security forces, according to daily Cumhuriyet.

“While I was being brought to Diyarbakır, I was subjected to all manners of threats and all manners of physical torture. I was hit, forcibly handcuffed and forced to listen [provocative] music,” she said, according to Cumhuriyet. 

Her colleague, Çağlar Demirel, the HDP’s parliament leader, was also arrested late on Dec. 13 with the same charges.         

Dozens of HDP members were detained on Dec. 12 in simultaneous operations across the country. The detainees included provincial heads in Istanbul, Ankara, Manisa, Adana and Mersin, as well as district-level party heads.        

The latest series of arrests followed the arrests of 13 of the party’s lawmakers last month, including co-chairs Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yuksekdağ, who remain under arrest awaiting trial on terrorism-related charges.        

The lawmakers face prosecution under anti-terrorism legislation after their parliamentary immunity was lifted earlier this year.