Court arrests DBP co-head Sebahat Tuncel

DİYARBAKIR

DHA photo

A local court in the southeastern Turkish province of Diyarbakır ordered the arrest of Democratic Unity Party (DBP) co-head Sebahat Tuncel on Nov. 6, two days after she was detained by police in front of the courthouse.

Police detained Tuncel on Nov. 4 in front of the Diyarbakır courthouse, as a wave of detentions targeted senior politicians of the Kurdish issue-focused Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) as part of “terrorism” investigations carried out by prosecutor’s offices in the southeastern provinces of Diyarbakır and Şırnak and the eastern provinces of Hakkari, Van and Bingöl.

A group including Tuncel and DBP members had gathered in front of the courthouse following the detentions of HDP lawmakers, including co-heads Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüsekdağ, who were later arrested along with seven other party deputies.

The group continued to stand in front of the area after the police called for it to disperse, after which 10 protestors including Tuncel and HDP deputy Sibel Yiğitalp were detained by police. 

The Diyarbakır Public Prosecutor’s Office had launched an investigation into Tuncel on charges of “being a member of an armed terrorist organization” and “conducting terror organization propaganda.”

The Diyarbakır Criminal Court of Peace ordered Tuncel’s arrest on Nov. 6.