Opposition Deputies Arrested in Turkey

The two co-chairmen of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and nine other deputies in the Turkish Parliament have been arrested early on Friday morning, reported Reuters, cited by BNR.

Arrest warrants have been issued for at least two other parliamentary deputies.

The Turkish authorities pointed out as a reason for the arrests the refusal of the two party leaders - Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag – to testify in front of the investigating bodies in relation to the spreading of “terrorist propaganda.”

The arrests were expected since, a few days ago, the court banned Yuksekdag from leaving the country.

For quite a while now, Yuksekdag and Demirtas have been investigated for “being members of an armed terrorist organisation” – an accusation which both of them deny.

The arrests were accompanied by political raids in the capital Ankara, as well as Diyarbak?r and other cities in the southeast of the country.

The People’s Democratic Party has a total of 59 deputies in the 550-member Turkish Parliament and is one of the main opponents of the attempts of Turkish President Erdogan to change the constitution of the country.

Hours after the arrests, social media Twitter and WhatsApp remain blocked in Turkey, reported Reuters.

Early on Friday morning, Diyarbak?r was rocked by a bomb blast. According to the latest information, 8 people have died and at least 100 have been injured.

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