ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A Turkish court on Wednesday charged four members and officials of two pro-Kurdish political parties for their alleged links with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) two days after they were arrested.
Ali Gultepe, a senior member of the Democratic Regions Party (DBP) as well as the Peoples’ Democratic Party’s (HDP) member Cuneyt Yesilyurt and its regional officials Ridvan Ulasman and Niyazi Artun were arrested during police raids in Istanbul and Tekirdag provinces on Monday, reported Mezopotamya Agency, a pro-Kurdish media outlet, on Wednesday.
A court in Tekirdag ruled their official arrests after charging them with PKK membership, the news agency added.
The PKK is an armed group struggling for the increased rights of Kurds in Turkey but is proscribed as a terrorist organization by Ankara.
Turkish authorities have arrested thousands of Kurds, especially members of the HDP, for their alleged links with the PKK. Some Turkish officials have claimed that the HDP is the political wing of the PKK - an accusation the HDP has denied.
The HDP fielded candidates for the latest Turkish elections under a sister party following Turkish authorities took legal procedures to close it.
Its sister party, Green Left Party, recently changed its name to Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (HEDEP).
Ali Gultepe, a senior member of the Democratic Regions Party (DBP) as well as the Peoples’ Democratic Party’s (HDP) member Cuneyt Yesilyurt and its regional officials Ridvan Ulasman and Niyazi Artun were arrested during police raids in Istanbul and Tekirdag provinces on Monday, reported Mezopotamya Agency, a pro-Kurdish media outlet, on Wednesday.
A court in Tekirdag ruled their official arrests after charging them with PKK membership, the news agency added.
The PKK is an armed group struggling for the increased rights of Kurds in Turkey but is proscribed as a terrorist organization by Ankara.
Turkish authorities have arrested thousands of Kurds, especially members of the HDP, for their alleged links with the PKK. Some Turkish officials have claimed that the HDP is the political wing of the PKK - an accusation the HDP has denied.
The HDP fielded candidates for the latest Turkish elections under a sister party following Turkish authorities took legal procedures to close it.
Its sister party, Green Left Party, recently changed its name to Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (HEDEP).
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