2 HDP Members Detained in Bodrum in Social Media Operation

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Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Muğla Provincial Co-Chair Fatoş Ay and HDP member Mehmet Polat have been arrested by Criminal Judgeship of Peace on charges of “inciting people to enmity and hostility” and “propagandizing for a terrorist organization”.

In a statement made at the courthouse’s yard, Fatoş Ay and Mehmet Polat’s lawyer Günfer Karadeniz said, “Is there any other country in the world where the ones who say ‘No to war’? Our friends were arrested for saying ‘no to war’”.

Taken out of the courthouse accompanied by police, Ay said, “I was arrested. I re-express that saying ‘no to war’ is not a crime, it is freedom of expression”.

Muğla Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation on charge of “propagandizing for terrorist organizations”. On January 22, six people were detained in Bodrum, Köyceğiz, Datça and Ortaca districts. As two people were detained, legal proceedings about four people continue in the courthouse.

H.B. aged 68 was detained due to his social media posts

Criticizing the offensive launched into Afrin on social media in Bafra, Samsun, H.B. aged 68 was detained. H.B. was charged with criticizing the offensive and insulting the President [Recep Tayyip Erdoğan].

Samsun Anti-Terror Branch Directorate claimed that H.B. wrote “’No’ to Operation Olive Branch, and he insulted President Erdoğan” on the social media. Digital data of H.B. was seized in the home raid. (AS/TK)