Rights Advocates Detained in Front of Human Rights Monument

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Speaking to bianet from a detention vehicle, Human Rights Association (İHD) Chair Öztürk Türkdoğan has said that they have been detained in front of the Human Rights Monument as they rallied to issue a statement in protest of demonstration ban in front of the monument on Yüksel Street.

Seven people were detained including Seyri Sokak reporter along with Türkdoğan on Yüksel Street in Turkey’s capital Ankara. Nazan Bozkurt and Celil Aslan, who chanted slogans “May Nuriye [Gülmen] and Semih [Özakça] be reinstated to their jobs” in front of the monument in the morning hours, were detained.

“Rights defenders weren’t allowed to issue a statement on human rights”

Türkdoğan said that the police approached them when they rallied in front of the monument and forcibly put them into the detention vehicle and that they haven’t been given any information.

“Ankara Governorship had imposed a demonstration ban. We believe that the police detained us based on this decision. No explanation was made to us during the detention.

“I am in the detention vehicle at the moment. We weren’t told anything but we presume that we will first be taken to a hospital for physical examination and then to the Security Directorate by procedure. We don’t know anything.

“As rights defenders, we are not allowed to exercise the most fundamental rights such as issuing a statement for the press. The rights defenders weren’t allowed to make a statement about human rights. This is the consequence of arbitrary governing. The State of Emergency is practiced in its severest way”.

Protests on Yüksel Street

In detention on remand, academic Nuriye Gülmen who has been on hunger strike started her protest a year ago with a banner reading “I want my job”. Many protesters including discharged teacher Semih Özakça and Acun Karadağ, and discharged civil servant Veli Saçılık supported Gülmen.

Gülmen and Özakça are on the 246th day of their hunger strike.

Protesters attempting to issue statements for the press on Yüksel Street have been battered every day. They are attacked with pepper gas and taken into custody. (AS/TK)

Photo: Twitter