Turkish police detain over 50 protesters in Izmir

At least 50 people were reportedly detained in Turkey's western city of Izmir on Sunday during a protest against the solitary confinement imposed on Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

The demonstration, organized by several organizations including the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), was staged in Konak square instead of the previously planned area that has been cordoned off by the police hours earlier.

The protesting group was encircled by the police who attacked and violently detained over 50 demonstrators, Mezopotamya News Agency reported, citing members of the Human Rights Association (IHD).

The detainees were handcuffed on the back and dragged away, while the remaining protesters held ground and continued to chant slogans.

A demonstrator named Hogir Kaya fainted during the police's attack and was taken to the hospital for treatment.

As HDP deputies Serpil Kemalbay and Feleknas Uca were prevented by the police from making a public statement, journalists who tried to report on the incident were forced away from the area.