Kurdish Info 24.12.2009- Joint raids were conducted in 11 cities against the BDP (Peace & Democracy Party) within 24 hours of 94 mayors from the banned DTP (Democratic Society Party) switching to this party. At least 80 people, including DTK (Democratic Society Congress) Chairman Hatip Dicle and 9 Mayors were taken into custody. Simultaneous operations were conducted in Diyarbakir, Siirt, Hakkari, Dersim, Batman, Urfa, Sirnak and Van with an order from the Diyarbakir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. Parallel to this there were also operations in Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir. At least 80 people are in custody including Mayors. The Mayors who were taken into custody are as follows:
Siirt Mayor Selim Sadak,
Sur Mayor Abdullah Demirbas,
Cizre Mayor Aydin Budak,
Suruç Mayor Ethem Sahin,
Viranþehir Mayor Leyla Güven,
Çinar Mayor Ahmet Cengiz,
Kiziltepe Mayor Ferhan Türk,
Cizre Mayor Aydin Budak
Batman Mayor Necdet Atalay.
Baglar Mayor Yüksel Baran
HATIP DICLE ALSO IN CUSTODY
Also in custody are;
DTK spokesman former DEP MP Hatip Dicle,
Former Viransehir Mayor Emrullah Cin,
Former Silvan Mayor Fikret Kaya,
Diyarbakir Greater Municipality Deputy Ali Simsek,
Kayapinar County Chairman Zülküf Karatekin,
Former Batman Mayor Hüseyin Kalkan,
(IHD) Human Rights Organisation Diyarbakir Branch Chairman Muharrem Erbey,
Former Baglar Mayor Yurdusev Ozsokmenler
DISK Chairman Yasar Sari
Lawyer Servet Özen
and Firat Anli
HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANISATION RAIDED
A raid was conducted at the Diyarbakir Branch of the Human Rights Organisation. While the police did not allow anyone to leave the premises, it was reported that all the organisations records and computers were seized. The raid is continuing.
HOUSE RAIDS IN BATMAN, DERSIM AND ANKARA
7 people were taken into custody in raids house raids in Batman, Dersim and Ankara. Many houses were raided in the early hours of the morning by officers from the Batman Police Headquarters War on Terror Branch. The house of former Batman Mayor Hüseyin Kalkan was also raided and the search lasted 3 hours. Following the raid former Batman Mayor Hüseyin Kalkan, former Batman County administrator Aydin Kiliç, former Batman province administrator Ilyas Saglam, Batman Municipality Councillor Sirin Bagli, Womens Parliament worker Gülizar Akar and Rifat Basaran were taken into custody.
A house belonging to the DTP women’s Parliament members was raided by police officers from the County Police Headquarters. In the house raids in Ankara former DTP Altindag County administrator Nurhayat Üstündag was taken into custody.
THE RAIDS IN VAN
Officers from the Van Police Headquarters War on Terror Branch conducted raids at the Municipality Work Centre, MKM (Mesopotamia Culture Centre) and houses in the early hours of the morning. Buildings, centres and houses were searched thoroughly in the raids and many former DTP members and administrators were taken into custody.
