PodcastKars governor's office bans all demonstrations ahead of HDP co-chair's planned rally
The Kars governor's office announced on Sept. 28 that it banned all “demonstrations and activities” for a period of 15 days until Oct. 12. The ban came into effect just hours before HDP co-chair Pervin Buldan's planned rally in the province, in support of Kars mayor Ayhan Bilgen who was among those taken into custody in simultaneous police raids last week.
Duvar English
The governor's office of the eastern province of Kars announced on Sept. 28 that it banned all “demonstrations and activities” for a period of 15 days until Oct. 12.
HDP protests Kobane detentions outside Turkish parliamentThe governor's office cited the “maintenance of national security,” “protection of public order and general public peace,” “prevention of committing crime” and “protection of basic rights and freedom” as the legal basis for the ban.
The governor's office said that the ban excludes meetings and activities if they are held by the public institutions within the framework of official holidays, official memorial days, officials ceremonies and celebrations, sports activities, and for the purposes of scientific, commercial and financial means.
This is the first time that the Kars governor's office has placed such a ban since 2019.
The ban came into effect just hours before Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair Pervin Buldan's planned rally in the province on Sept. 29, in support of Kars mayor Ayhan Bilgen.
Turkish police deny HDP politicians were hospitalized over food poisoning under detentionBilgen, from the HDP, was among those taken into custody in simultaneous police raids across seven provinces last week.
The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an operation on Sept. 25, issuing a detention warrant for 82 people on terrorism charges that are linked to the Kobane protests.
Turkey’s mainly Kurdish southeast erupted in protest in early October against the government’s inaction to protect Syrian Kurds from the ISIS invasion of the border town of Kobane.
HDP members and officials who were detained are accused of inciting violence in the protests, where 37 people were killed as members of Turkish Hizbullah also took to the streets.
HDP officials and deputies on Sept. 28 held a clapping protest outside parliament to slam the detentions of former deputies, mayors and members of the central executive board in the probe into six years ago.