Members of non-governmental organizations, lawyers and journalists were detained earlier this morning in political genocide operations within the scope of the investigation initiated by the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.

Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) deputies Züleyha Gülüm, Kemal Bülbül and Ali Kenanoğlu joined the protest held in front of the Ankara Courthouse organized by the Ankara branches of Libertarian Lawyers’ Association (ÖHD) and Contemporary Lawyers Association (ÇHD) Lawyers for Social Law and Democracy.

'OPPRESSION TOOL'

ÖHD Ankara Branch chair Şevin Kaya spoke on behalf of the lawyers who made the press statement despite the police's efforts to prevent the demonstration. Pointing out that the Diyarbakır Police Department's anti-terror branch (TEM) schedules operations per week, Kaya said, “This operation is an effort to criminalize and discredit the lawyers who are the defense subjects of the judiciary before the public.”

Reminding that the house of lawyer Aytaç Ünsal was also raided today, Kaya said, “The house was raided and messed up without any legal justification. At the current stage, the government uses the judicial power as a means of intimidation against defense, which is an area of opposition.”

The statement emphasised that “we will continue to defend the defence with courage, just as we have defended the rights of our clients.”

'DEFENSE AND THOSE RESISTING WILL NOT REMAIN SILENT'

Speaking after, HDP MP Züleyha Gülüm said; “As defense lawyers, we want to remind you that we will always stand up and not keep silent about this unlawfulness. No matter what operation you carry out, the defense will not be silenced, nor those who resist. We will continue to fight. We call out once again from here: our friends should be released as soon as possible.”