Police Operation Against “End War” Declaration in Hatay

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Multiple people's places of residence, including that of Human Rights Association (İHD) Branch Head Mithat Can, were raided in Hatay. Can, aged 73, was detained and taken to Hatay Security Directorate's Anti-Terror Department.

İHD Honorary Board member attorney Hatice Can spoke to bianet about her husband Mithat Can's detention following a raid of their house this morning (February 13), and his poor state of health:

"If he had just been summoned to testify at the police station, he would go right away. This week he was supposed to go to Istanbul for his medical check-ups; he's currently undergoing treatment. We are worried the detention conditions will badly affect his health."

"The reason for the operation: the statement on Afrin"

According to Hatice Can, there were 27 names in the prosecutor's search and detention warrant, as well as various charges under the heading, "crimes committed against the state", including "membership in an illegal organization".

Hatice Can believes that the reason behind the operation was the statement to the press made in the İHD Hatay Branch headquarters on January 22.

Mithat Can had read out Hatay Labor and Democracy Forces' press release on January 22. Can had read that "Turkey's frequent cross-border aerial operations based on Syria and Iraq-related resolutions passed in Parliament and in particular its stationing of ground troops in Syria and Iraq has started to pose a danger," and that "the bombing of the city of Afrin leaves Turkey and all the peoples in the region facing the severe reality of war and devastation."

"My 73-year-old human rights defender father Mithat Can was detained after a house raid at 6 am this morning. His crime was that he asked for peace," Can's son, attorney Eren Can posted on social media.

Among those detained are İHD Branch Secretary, attorney Servet Akbaba, Confederation of Revolutionary Workers' Unions (DİSK) General Work Hatay Branch Head Yusuf Berkyürek, Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Hatay Province Co-Chairs Kerem Nalbant and Sultan Başaran, HDP's Hatay MP candidate in the November 1 elections Çetin Sakallı, Hatay Bar Association former Board of Directors member Adnan Eryılmaz, Trade Union of Education and Science Workers (Eğitim Sen) members Gülizar Işık and Nidal Çay, Socialist Refoundation Party (SYKP) Hatay Co-Chair Hülya Kavuk, Dilek Dablan and Office Workers Union (BES) Hatay Branch Head Deniz Polat. (AS/PU)