49 Taken into Custody in Police Attack on Cizre Protest in İzmir

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 The protest “Give out a sound for Cizre” organized by many unions and NGOs under the umbrella of İzmir Peace Block have been attacked by police even before the press statement was read.

Video: Kazım Kızıl

The police have called out to the mass gathered in front of Alsancak Sevinç Patisserie at 6 p.m. chanting “We will not let you propagandize for the terrorist organization PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) here. We will not allow illegal slogans such as ‘Murderer State will answer’”.

Attacking right after the warning to disperse, the police have taken 49 persons into custody including Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Provincial Co-Chair Cavit Uğur, Coşkun Üsterci from Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV), Human Rights Association (İHD) manager Gurbet Uçar, HDP Caucus member İbrahim Akın and Confederation of Public Workers’ Union (KESK) term spokesperson Bahri Alkan.

Progressive Lawyers Association (ÇHD) İzmir Branch Director Serdar Gültekin talking to bianet has noted that there had been some young persons severely pounded up while being taken into custody or in the custody vehicle.

Some of the persons taken into custody have been laid on the ground, handcuffed from behind or dragged by the hair.

Attorney Gültekin has noted that a person taken into custody had been hit in the head and they had been concerned as he had been throwing up in the custody vehicle.

Gültekin has added that they would file criminal complaints against the police regarding the pounding.

Later, İHD İzmir Branch Director Attorney Gırbet Uçar has been released from the police department. The two children among the 49 persons taken into custody have been sent to the police department for juveniles.

The persons under custody are expected to give testimony before the prosecution in the afternoon. (ÇÖ/AS/DG)

* Photograph: 140journos