Several women detained in house raids in Diyarbakır

Duvar English

Police on March 16 detained several women who are members and representatives of women's organizations in raids carried out on many houses in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır. 

Rosa Women's Association President Adalet Kaya, Filiz Buluttekin, who served as co-mayor of the municipality of the Sur district before being replaced by a trustee, and Fatma Yıldızhan, the branch secretary of the Health and Social Service Workers' Union (SES), were among those detained.

Detention warrants were issued for 24 people, the online Kurdish news outlet Jinnews reported.

While the reason for the detentions was not indicated, it was reported that the police searched the houses during the raids. 

“Many women, including our female secretary Fatma Yıldızhan, were detained this morning. Every time the government is stuck, it criminalizes the women's struggle and looks for a way out. However, remember that women will never kneel. Release our friends immediately," SES said on Twitter. 

The pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party's (HDP) Women Assembly condemned the detentions on Twitter.

“This operation is intolerance toward the enthusiasm of March 8 [International Women’s Day]. Our struggle cannot be prevented with your pressures!”

Meanwhile, the Diyarbakır Bar Association's Women's Rights Center on Twitter called the detentions illegal and said the women were restricted their right to a lawyer for 24 hours. 

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