After the wave of arrests against the left-wing Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP), which started on Tuesday in Istanbul and six other provinces of Turkey, 17 detained politicians came up before the judge at Çağlayan Courthouse today. The detainees were remanded in custody on charges of membership and spreading propaganda for a terrorist organization.

Among the arrested are the former ESP leader Çiçek Otlu, who is currently sitting in the executive council of the party and who has been released only since last September after two years of remand in custody, and Sedat Şenoğlu, member of the ESP party council and co-spokesman of the Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK).