Detained Members of Community Houses Released on Probation

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Four branch chairs of Community Houses, who were taken into custody in the capital city of Ankara, have been released on probation.

Keçiören Community House Branch Chair Şebnem Yar, Mutlu Community House Branch Chair Seher Gümüşay, Eryaman Community House Branch Chair Şenay Güner and Tuzluçayır Community House Branch Chair Dilara Doğanbaş were detained in house raids on October 16.

CLICK - Operation Against Community Houses in Ankara

The detained branch chairs were referred to court today (October 18) by the Prosecutor's Office, which demanded that the branch chairs Yar, Gümüşay, Güner and Doğanbaş be arrested. The court has ruled that the branch chairs shall be released on probation.

"They were asked about photographs on the walls"

Speaking to bianet about the detentions, attorney Sercan Aran previously stated that the branch chairs were taken into custody on charge of "propagandizing for a terrorist organization" due to the photographs of Deniz Gezmiş, Mahir Çayan and İbrahim Kaypakkaya which were hung on the walls during the events of Community Houses.

While Deniz Gezmiş was among the founders of the People's Liberation Army of Turkey (THKO), Mahir Çayan was among the founders of the People's Liberation Party-Front of Turkey (THKP-C) and İbrahim Kaypakkaya was one of the founders of the Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist–Leninist, Liberation Army of the Workers and Peasants of Turkey (TKP/ML - TİKKO).

The THKO and the THKP-C were dissolved in the wake of military coup on March 12, 1971 while the TKP/ML - TİKKO has been continuing its activities and has been listed by the General Directorate of Security among the terrorist organizations that are still operating in Turkey.

What happened?

An operation was launched against the Community Houses in Ankara on October 16. The branch chairs of Community Houses in the districts of Mutlu, Tuzluçayır, Keçiören and Eryaman were detained as part of the operation.

A search was also conducted in the branches of Community Houses in Tuzluçayır, Keçiören, Eryaman, İlker and Mutlu, which was previously sealed on the ground of unauthorized training and education activities.

Community Houses released a statement about the detentions and said, "Since no information/ documents have been shared by the police regarding the investigation, we cannot share any information about its content." (EKN/SD)