Eight Kurdish activist women jailed, 13 under house arrest

A court in Turkish capital Ankara ordered to put behind bars eight activist women who belong to TJA (Tevgere Jinen Azad - translated as Free Women's Movement) and decided house arrest for 13 more, charging them with “management of terrorist organization” and “acting on behalf of the terrorist organization,” after police stormed houses in 14 provinces across Turkey in dawn raids and detained many activists.

Kurdish news agency Mezopotamya identified the jailed activists as Figen Aras, Figen Ekti, Mekiye Ormanci, Didar Cesme, Bedia Akkaya, Hatice Gungor, Hulya Kinagu and Gulistan Dehset.

Those who were taken under house arrest were: Yeliz Ayyildiz Kiyak, Hulya Tasar, Zekiye Guler, Sultan Esen, Meral Simsek, Zeynep Boga, D.A., Merve Tekin Demirel, Hazal Aras, Aysel Ceylan, Beritan Canyas, Tamcihan Celebi and Hatice Ay.

Despite being treated by the pro-government media and Turkish authorities as an illegal group, TJA is a descendant of the Free Women’s Congress (KJA), which was established in 2015 as an umbrella for various women's initiatives, as well as political parties, NGOs, culture and faith groups, and local governments.

KJA was renamed as TJA after having been shut down by a decree under the state of emergency rule in 2016 following a military coup attempt in Turkey.