Turkey: Police bars public announcement, detains officials of Alevi association

The police detained several officials of an Alevi organization in Turkey when the officials attempted to make a public statement outside Istanbul's main court house in protest against the long incarceration of the organization's members.

Beyhan Dun and Simal Deniz, members of the Pir Sultan Abdal Cultural Association (PSAKD), have been imprisoned since they were arrested on 19 December 2022 on spurious charges of "illegal group membership."

The police on Wednesday intervened to prevent a public announcement against the extended incarceration outside Istanbul's main court house, and took into custody eight representatives of the organization, including PSAKD's chair Cuma Erce.

A protest was staged today in the southern city of Adana with the participation of many political party, trade union and NGO representatives, including Tulay Hatimogullari, Adana deputy for the pro-Kurdish Green Left Party.

Reacting to the reverse handcuffing of Alevi representatives, Hamit Karaogullari, the spokesperson for the Alevi Platform in Adana, said:

"The practice of reverse handcuffing is actually part of the efforts to handcuff our will, to handcuff the existence of millions of Alevis. Such practices, however, will not impede our struggle."