Dozens of Kurds have been detained in home raids across five Turkish provinces, the Mezopotamya news agency reported.
The detentions took place in the southern provinces of Adana and Mersin, the western province of İzmir and the southeastern provinces of Hakkari and Mardin.
Mezopotamya said at least 30 people were detained in Hakkari alone, including members of the Peace Mothers, a women’s civil rights movement in Turkey that aims to promote peace between Turkey’s different ethnic groups through non-violent means.
Lawyer Yusuf Çobanoğlu announced on X, formerly known as Twitter, that more than 15 members of the Peace Mothers who were detained in raids at around 5 a.m. were being taken to the Hakkari police station for questioning.
Gever’de 15’ten fazla Barış Annesi sabah 05.00 sıralarında yapılan Hakkari merkezli operasyon ile gözaltına alındı. Gözaltına alınan anneler Hakkari’ye götürülüyor. pic.twitter.com/A3ybv8s1Vh
— Av. Yusuf ÇOBANOĞLU (@YusufCobanogluu) August 15, 2023
Twelve people were detained in İzmir, while seven were detained in Mersin and 19 others in Mardin. There was no information about the number of people taken into custody in Adana.
The detainees were taken to police stations in their cities for questioning. The reason for the detentions remains unknown as there is a confidentiality order on the investigations.
It is common for Kurds to face terrorism-related charges in Turkey. They are mostly charged with disseminating terrorist propaganda or membership in a terrorist organization, namely the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
The PKK, which has been waging a bloody campaign in Turkey’s southeast since 1984, is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey and much of the international community.
