Left-wing band Grup Yorum members jailed

ISTANBUL - Radikal

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Five members of the Turkish protest band Grup Yorum were arrested as part of a police operation executed early this morning against alleged members of the outlawed Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) and taken into custody at Istanbul Police headquarters, daily Radikal has reported.

Band members Selma Altın, Dilan Balcı, Ali Aracı, İnan Altın and Caner Bozkurt were among the 85 people arrested in the operation as well as 15 lawyers, of which nine were reportedly members of the Progressive Lawyers’ Association (ÇHD).

Selma Altın and Dilan Balcı have already been under house arrest since Sept. 14.

Police searched a music studio where the band rehearses, according to statements by Cihan Keşkek, another member of Grup Yorum who recently traveled abroad.

The DHKP-C is listed as a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.