The "People's Daily" newspaper is highly critical of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).
(BIANET/IFEX) – 25 February 2011 – The offices of the “People’s Daily” (Halkin Gunlugu) newspaper, the Democratic Peoples Association and the home of members of the Democratic Peoples Federation (DHF) in seven provinces and counties were raided by the police.
Twenty-three people were taken into custody, among them two journalists – the paper’s editor-in-chief, Hidir Gurz, and the paper’s representative in Mersin, Deniz Kismetli.
The operations conducted by the Anti-Terror Branch began on the evening of 22 February and continued until the morning of 23 February. A considerable amount of material was confiscated during the searches.
The “People’s Daily” is part of the extra-parliamentary opposition which is highly critical of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).
The people who were taken into custody during the operations in Adana, Amed (Diyarbakir), Hatay, Iskenderun, Istanbul, Mersin and Zonguldak, were reportedly brought to Adana (eastern tip of the Mediterranean coast).
Gurz was in Zonguldak (western Black Sea coast) in connection with his work at the time of the operation. He was arrested in a raid on the house where he was staying as a guest.
On 24 February, the DHF organized protest actions and released press statements in protest of the detentions in the seven different provinces. The federation called for “solidarity with the revolutionary, democratic and progressive public opinion”.
Protest actions were organized for Dersim, Antalya, Denizli, Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir.
