Turkish police detain five CHP members during election campaign in Diyarbakır

Turkish police have detained five main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) members, one of whom was the head of the district youth branch, in the Hazro district of southeastern Diyarbakır province.

Friday April 28 2023 06:27 pm

Duvar English

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) members conducting election campaigns in Hazro district of southeastern Diyarbakır province faced police intervention on April 27. The police opened fire in the air following the tension and detained five members of the CHP, including party’s head of the district youth branch.

CHP District Chair Turgut İncel said, "Yesterday, while we were visiting shopkeepers, the police intervened in our campaign. 'CHP can't do anything anyway, don't work in vain,' they said. The tension accelerated and the police opened fire in the air. They swore and insulted us," according to reporting by Amidahaber.

İncel also said that they could not carry out election campaigns in the district due to the incidents.

Turkey is heading to the presidential and general elections on May 14 in a highly skewed playing ground for the opposition parties. In the past month, many election offices have been subjected to physical attacks. Also, the security forces frequently intervene in the election campaigns of the opposition parties.