149 people have been taken into custody in the last 24 hours. Among the people detained many children and a 60 years old woman.

Police have been carrying out house raids in several cities, Hakkari, Siirt, Diyarbakýr, Bingöl, Van, Kars, Urfa, Elazýð, Aðrý and Ýstanbul.

In Hakkari yesterday six people have been taken into custody in raids carried out in 11 neighbourhoods. In the early hours of this morning in Yenimahalle, Gazi and Berçelan a further 47 people have been taken into custody. A man was taken into custody while on his way from Yüksekova to Hakkari, while a further 54 people have been detained in Hakkari.

The long list goes on with further detentions in Siirt (20 people) and in Diyarbakýr (16 people) where the Labor, Democracy and Freedom Block candidates Þerafettin Elçi, Nursel Aydoðan, Emine Ayna, Altan Tan and Leyla Zana had joined a sit in staged by thousands of people.

In Bingöl also at least 4 people have been taken into custody, among them 60 years old Zahide Yýldýz who has been taken to hospital after feeling ill.

In Cizre 11 people have been taken into custody following a march by over 10 thousand people.

The latest arrests were carried out early today in Istanbul where at least 30 people have been taken into custody in Gaziosmanpaþa neighbourhood.