News Center- Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Izmir Provincial Co-chairs Berna Çelik and Çınar Altan and HDP Buca office Co-chair Nihat Türk were taken into custody on October 6. The legal procedures at the police station ended yesterday.

They waited in handcuffs for hours

After being transferred to a hospital, they were referred to the Izmir Courthouse. During that time, they waited in handcuffs for hours. The Izmir Court of Peace issued the pre-trial detention of HDP Izmir Provincial Co-chairs Berna Çelik and Çınar Altan and HDP Buca office Co-chair Nihat Türk on charges of “membership in a terrorist organization”.

Protest in front of the courthouse

After the court decision, the families of Berna Çelik, Çınar Altan and Nihat Türk and the members of the HDP chanted slogans such as “shoulder to shoulder against fascism”, “The HDP is people, people are here” and “Pressures cannot intimidate us” in front of the courthouse. Şükran Öztürk, Co-chair of the Lawyers Association for Freedom (ÖHD) office branch, made a speech in front of the courthouse. “Although HDP closure case is still ongoing, they keep producing unlawful accusations based on slanders and false statements. They do not understand that everyone needs law. One day, they will also need law. The HDP and people supporting the HDP will repair the destroyed system. As lawyers, we believe in this.”