Kurdish politician arrested by Turkish police in security crackdown

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Deputy Chairman of the Kurdistan Socialist Party (PSK) Bayram Bozyel was arrested early on Monday morning by Turkish police in the Kurdish city of Diyarbakir (Amed) during a security operation.

Eighteen people were arrested in simultaneous Turkish police operations in Amed (Diyarbakir), Mardin, Antalya, and İzmir.

In addition to Bozyel, others arrested included the director of the SES Health Workers' Union, Gulhan Tekin, Education and Science Workers' Union member Arzu Koç, and Diyarbakır Branch Secretary of the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) Arin Zümrüt.

Members of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) were also arrested.

The reasons for the arrest of mostly Kurdish politicians and trade union members have not been announced. 

Since the July 2016 coup attempt, Turkey has arrested and investigated many human rights defenders and Kurdish politicians, mostly on terrorism charges.

The measure has led to the arrest of hundreds of Kurdish politicians, including the former co-leader of the HDP, Selahattin Demirtas, several lawmakers, and dozens of Kurdish mayors.

Read More: Turkey might release Kurdish leader Demirtas on November 3

Deputy PSK head Bozyel was also investigated by the Turkish judicial authorities in 2018 because he supported the Kurdistan Region's referendum on independence from Iraq held on Sept. 25, 2017.