Police block leftist youth groups' press statement, detain members in Istanbul

Istanbul police violently detained around 40 members of a pro-Kurdish youth union involving pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party's (HDP) Youth Assembly, Mesopotamia Agency reported on Oct. 25. Police claimed that a banner held up by demonstrators was criminal on the grounds that it displayed a photo of İbrahim Kaypakkaya, a deceased Turkish leftist.

Duvar English

A group of youth organizations, including Pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party's (HDP) Youth Assembly, were blocked from reading a press statement in Istanbul's Kadıköy and detained violently by police, Mesopotamia Agency reported on Oct. 25.

Joined by New Democrat Youth (YDG) and Revolutionary Students Union-Youth Revolutionary Forces (DEV-GÜÇ), the HDP Youth Assembly wanted to read a press statement about the United Youth Assembly they will establish on Nov. 15.

The group held up a banner that read "We march against fascism together for our union," which police asked to be removed on the grounds that it presented a criminal element for displaying a photo of İbrahim Kaypakkaya, a deceased Turkish leftist.

HDP deputy Musa Piroğlu, who was accompanying the youth organizations, spoke to police to de-escalate the situation, but police proceeded to batter and detain around 40 demonstrators.

Deputy Piroğlu came back with a group of 10 demonstrators to read the press statement, being battered and detained by police as well.

The youth organization members were released later in the day.

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Topics Turkey Istanbul Turkish Ankara HDP Turkish government Turkish police Peoples Democratic Party youth HDP deputy