Turkey: 9 suspects detained over terror charges

By Ferdi Uzun

AYDIN, Turkey

Police detained at least nine suspects Friday over terror charges in western Turkey's Aydin province, according to police sources.

The suspects included the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party's (HDP) Aydin provincial head Tamis Akpinar, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media.

This is the last one of a series of arrests this week. Police arrested dozens of HDP members in separate operations across Turkey.

At least 21 members were detained in Istanbul, including HDP provincial co-heads Aysel Guzel and Dogan Erbas as well as district-level party heads, said police sources, who also spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media.

In a separate operation, 17 more HDP members, including the party's Ankara provincial head, Ibrahim Binici, and other district-level officials were also detained in the capital, another police source, who also spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media, said.

In western Turkey's Manisa province, at least five people, including the HDP provincial and Salihli district heads, were detained in a similar operation.

Two suspects, including HDP executive Evin Konur and former provincial head of the Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Zubeyde Bor, were also detained in the southeastern Hakkari province.

At least 25 other people, including HDP provincial head Huseyin Beyaz, were held in Adana, as well as 93 others, including HDP provincial head Sadun Dogan, in Mersin, and 36 more in Gaziantep, including members of the HDP and DBP.

Suspects are accused of being members of the PKK terrorist organization or having spread PKK propaganda.

Last month, 13 HDP lawmakers were also arrested, and 10, including co-chairs Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag, remain in custody awaiting trial on terrorism-related charges.

The lawmakers face prosecution under anti-terrorism legislation after their parliamentary immunity was lifted earlier this year.

The government has accused the HDP of having links to the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and EU.