Sweden 'deeply worried' about mass detentions of HDP officials in Turkey

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Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde said on Feb. 16 that her country is “deeply worried” to see the arrests of scores of people in Turkey, including officials from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP).

“We are deeply worried by the reports of further mass detentions in Turkey, including of elected officials and party members of the HDP,” tweeted Linde, who has in the past criticized Ankara for its policy against the People's Protection Units (YPG) in northern Syria. 

Some 718 people were detained across the country on Feb. 15 following the deaths of 13 Turkish nationals in northern Iraq. The Turkish government says that the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) executed the 13 Turks, including soldiers, police and intelligence officials, in a cave. 

Earlier, Linde offered condolences to the families of those killed. 

“I offer my deepest condolences to the families of the Turkish citizens who lost their lives in an act of terror in Northern Iraq. We express our solidarity with the Turkish people,” she said. 

The HDP, which is the third biggest party in parliament, immediately became the target of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its far-right ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), which has been calling for the HDP's closure for some time. 

Scores of HDP members, including former co-chairs Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ, are imprisoned on charges related to the PKK. 

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