Many detained in police attack on 25 November demo in Şırnak

Turkish police violently broke up a demonstration in Şırnak and at least 21 people were detained, inluding MA and JinNews correspondents.

In the province of Şırnak, a demonstration to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women was broken up by Turkish police. At least 21 people were taken into custody, including politicians and activists from the Kurdish women's movement as well as journalists.

The police justified the crackdown with a ban on assembly issued by the governor's office. Those detained include the deposed mayors of Silopi and İdil, Adalet Fidan and Songül Erden, the co-chair of the HEDEP district association in İdil, Elfesya Nas, TJA activist Güler Tunç, HDP politicians Evin Erden and Asuman Külter and the co-chair of the DBP district association in Cizre, Zilan Yaman. Correspondents Zeynep Durgut, Ömer Akın for the Mezopotamya Agency (MA) and Rozerin Gültekin for JinNews were also taken into custody.

In protest against the suppression of the demonstration, a group organised a sit-in in front of the local HDP headquarters. Kurdish MP Newroz Uysal Aslan, who was among those taking part in the demo, condemned the violent actions of the police, saying: "Even on the day of struggle against violence against women, the state allows violence to be committed against women from its patriarchal position. We will not accept attempts to silence the voice of women."

Aslan also pointed out that the police assault damaged the equipment of the media representatives present who wanted to document the demonstration. "The police also confiscated some cameras. This is their way of preventing important press work," emphasised the politician and demanded the immediate release of all those detained. The sit-in then ended with the slogan "Jin, Jiyan, Azadî" (Woman, Life, Freedom).