73-Year-Old Rights Defender Mithat Can Sent to Judgeship for Arrest

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17 people who were detained after having made a statement for the press in protest of Afrin operation have been sent to criminal judgeship of peace for arrest in Hatay.

Human Rights Association (İHD) Hatay Branch Chair Mithat Can is among those who were sent to the judgeship.

Lawyer Eren Can said that Mithat Can has serious health problems and he applied to the prosecutor’s office with his medical reports but they were not taken into consideration. Having cancer treatment and recently underwent an operation, Mithat Can couldn’t go to his checks in February as he has been in custody.

In statement lawyer Can made to bianet, Can said that the 17 people are charged with “propagandizing for a terrorist organization”.

Among those who were sent to judgeship are İHD Branch Secretary, lawyer Servet Akbaba, Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK) Genel İş Hatay Branch Chair Yusuf Berkyürek, Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Hatay provincial co-chairs Kerem Nalbant and Sultan Başaran, HDP’s Hatay MP candidate in November 1 elections Çetin Sakallı, former Hatay Bar Association Executive Board member Adnan Eryılmaz, Education Union members Gülizar Işık and Nidal Çay, Socialist Refoundation Party (SYKP) Co-Chair Hülya Kavuk, Dilek Dablan and BES Hatay Branch Chair Deniz Polat.

He had read out the statement for the press

Speaking to bianet, lawyer Hatice Can had said that the reason for the operation was the statement for the press made on January 22 in İHD Hatay Branch building.

Mithat Can had read out the press statement on January 22.

In the statement, Can said, “All peoples in Turkey and in the region have come up against a serious war and destruction with the bombings on Afrin”. (AS/TK)