Upon a midnight order from Turkish Ministry of Interior, the metropolitan municipalities of Amed, Van and Mardin, run by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), were seized by the AKP regime with the replacement of the elected mayors with governors of the mentioned cities.

Following the suspension of the mayors, police forces laid a siege on the three municipalities and launched a crackdown against HDP members and people who took to the streets in protest at the unlawful seizure of their municipalities.

As protests continue in Amed, a sit-in was launched under the lead of DTK Co-chair and HDP Hakkari MP Leyla Güven demanding the end of the police siege on the HDP central offices in the city.

Police staged a crackdown and brutally battered the HDP group and deputies, including Güven.

Police forced the HDP MPs into the building and closed the doors, not allowing them to leave the building. People have started to march towards the HDP Office where deputies remain under blockade.

Deputies Semra Güzel and Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit, who suffered injuries in the police attack, were allowed to leave the HDP Office only to be rushed to hospital in ambulances.

Lawyers who wanted to gather in front of the HDP building were also attacked by the police and not allowed to approach the area.

Police also targeted the journalists and prevented them from covering the demonstration and the attack. Both the siege and aggression by the police continue.