Devlet Bahçeli, chairman of the ultranationalist Nationalist Action Party (MHP) threatened the opposition-leaning television station Halk TV in a speech at the Turkish Parliament this morning (November 26). Meanwhile, a series of raids and detentions carried out across Turkey has targeted journalists, NGO workers, and opposition politicians. The recent arrests follow several weeks of depositions of pro-Kurdish politicians across the country, which most recently included the removal of elected officials in the eastern Tunceli province last Friday (November 22). Among those arrested this morning included several members of the pro-Kurdish DEM Party.
In a speech in the Turkish Parliament earlier in the day President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s main coalition partner and MHP chairman Devlet Bahçeli made a statement threatening the opposition-leaning television channel Halk TV, which he characterized as “A venue for attacks against the MHP.”
Following the mass detentions Tuesday morning, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced an operation titled ‘GÜRZ-27’ aimed at targeting alleged members of the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK). As a part of this operation, Yerlikaya announced that 231 individuals in a total of 30 provinces had been taken into custody.
Arrests from the pro-Kurdish DEM party
Cengiz Dündar, the DEM co-mayor of Diyarbakir’s Kayapınar district, was one.of the politicians taken into custody early Tuesday. Other arrested DEM officials included Çanakale province’s Gökçeada district co-chair Bedirhan Şeker.as well as party administrator Savaş Sarıbulak. Four Party members were also detained in the Şanlıurfa province.
A statement from the pro-Kurdish DEM Party regarding the arrests read:
“Enough is enough! Stop all the evil you are doing to society in order to protect your.own positions and maintain your petty interests… None of the attacks you make today will yield any results… Our response to your attacks will be to strengthen democratic politics and the opposition. We call on the public to stand resolutely against these attacks.”
Erdoğan Alayumat, Bilge Aksu, Ahmet Sümbül, Bilal Seçkin,. and Roza Metina are several of the journalists who were also arrested this morning.
Metina serves as the chairperson for the Mesopotamia Women’s Journalism Association (MKG). DEM
Tuğçe Yılmaz, a journalist for the news website Bianet,.was arrested at her home in İstanbul early Tuesday, where police also conducted a raid. Yılmaz is known for reporting on LGBT issues in Turkey. DEM
In Mardin, it was announced that a series of arrests in the province.were related to demonstrations against the recent removal of pro-.Kurdish officials and their replacement with pro-government appointees. DEM
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Written/translated for Medyascope by Leo Kendrick
