HDP İzmir head among 22 detained in anti-terror operation

İZMİR

HDP provincial co-chair Cavit Uğur, AA Photo

At least 22 suspects, including the provincial head of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), have been detained in an anti-terror operation in İzmir over accusations of “making terrorist propaganda.”

Anti-terror police in İzmir launched simultaneous raids on 30 addresses across the province early March 9 and detained at least 22 suspects, including HDP provincial co-chair Cavit Uğur.

The official Twitter account of the HDP’s provincial organization made an announcement about the detentions, saying seven of its administrators were detained as police raided their houses. 

“Our provincial co-chair Cavit Uğur, four provincial administrators and two district co-chairs have been detained in police raids on their houses early in the morning,” the tweet said. 

The HDP, which is focused on the Kurdish problem, also shared a list of detained individuals made up of 14 names. 

The police were seeking 30 suspects for “making terrorist propaganda” at the İzmir funeral of Dilan Kortak, who was killed in Istanbul’s Sancaktepe district on Dec. 3, 2015. While the police claimed that Kortak was an outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militant killed during clashes in an anti-terror operation, the woman’s father claimed no clashes took place and that Kortak was executed by police.

The public prosecutor’s office in İzmir claimed the suspects acted in the name of the PKK and transformed Kortak’s funeral into a propaganda event for the PKK.

While the suspects were brought to police headquarters following medical examinations, Doğan News Agency reported that the police were continuing efforts to detain seven other individuals.