The detention periods of 15 politicians, including the Kars Municipality co-mayor, Şevin Alaca, have been extended. Detention operations and targeted suppression policies have been used against members of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) over recent days in Turkey.
The Turkish government has appointed trustees to Kars Municipality, and 17 people, including Kars Municipality co-mayor Şevin Alaca, were detained in operations held on 1 October.
While the detention periods of 15 people were extended, journalist Selda Manduz and five others will be brought to the prosecutor’s office for questioning. The statement procedures of Manduz and the politicians Hazal Ağadeve, İzzet Altig, Sabri Avag, Adem Karataş and Zorba Başkutlu, who were detained in Kars on 1 October, have ended.
The names of the 15 people whose detention periods have been extended are as follows: HDP Kars Municipality co-mayor Şevin Alaca, HDP Kars Provincial co-chair Cengiz Anlı, Kars Deputy Mayor Muazzez Çağrıtekin, Kars Municipal Council members Kaya Naki, Fahrettin Kaya, Ömer Albayrak and Suat Bayhan, Kağızman Provincial Council Member Halil Kan, Dağpınar Municipal Council member Hamdi Erkmen, Digor Municipal Council member Hamit Taşdelen, Kurdistan Women’s Liberation Movement (TJA) activist Medya Tağay, former Digor Municipal Council member Reis Baykiz, municipal employee Şengül Erkmen and Bülent Ağbaba.