Turkey: May 1 detainees face trial

ISTANBUL

An Istanbul court has placed 24 people detained during Friday’s May Day demonstrations on remand pending trial.

The court in Caglayan on Tuesday charged those detained with: violating meeting and protest laws; membership of [a] terrorist organization; plus having explosives.

There were 366 people detained during Friday’s major police operation in Istanbul. Although 191 people were later released pending trial, 51 were released on court-imposed restrictions, including a ban on travelling abroad.

Prosecutors later released 100 detainees without charge.

Meanwhile, at least 150 Molotov cocktails and 41 gas masks were among items seized during the May 1 rallies in Istanbul, security sources disclosed.

Trade unionists had wanted to march to Istanbul’s Taksim Square for May Day rallies.

However, Turkish officials declared the site off-limits over “security concerns” and implemented heavy precautions.

Labor Day demonstrations in 1977 in Taksim Square led to the deaths of 34 people and the wounding of 136 other in what became known as Bloody May 1.

The square was closed to demonstrations on Labor Day between 1977 and 2010.

Union activists have been barred from marching to the public square since 2013.