More than 318 members of the HDP were detained today

[Anthea]

HDP: More than 318 members of our party detained today

Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Central Executive Board (MYK) released a statement regarding the increasing operations of political genocide as part of which hundreds were taken into custody across Turkey today.

The statement announced that more than 318 people including administrators, provincial-district co-chairs and members of the HDP have been detained in Istanbul, İzmir, Van, Adana, Adıyaman, Kocaeli, Antep, Siirt, Bingöl, Malatya, Bursa and Ağrı provinces and their districts today.

The statement by the HDP said the following:

"The operations against our party, ongoing since July 2015, continue increasingly without a pause since the coup attempt of July 15, 2016.

As many as 859 administrators, provincial-district co-chairs and members of our party were detained and 112 of them were arrested since the first day of 2017.

As result of continued political genocide operations against our party and its constituents, at least 318 people have been unlawfully arrested today. A total of 9796 people have been taken into custody in operations against our party and its constituents since 22.07.2015, and 2906 of them were jailed, including Co-chairs, deputies, provincial-district co-chairs, administrators and members of our party.

According to figures compiled by our IT department, 5471 people from our party were detained and 1482 were imprisoned since July 2016. The main goal of these operations, escalated after the finalization of the referendum date, is to make a referendum without the HDP.

What they want to obstruct through detentions and arrests is the 'NO' outcome itself. Still, we will not bow down in the face of this atrocity and repression. HDP remains committed more than ever to the struggle it promised the peoples of Turkey.

Those who think they can stop us by means of detainments, arrests and political genocide operations will see that they will not be able to wipe out the peoples' commitment to freedom, labor, peace and democracy.

Despite all the restrictions and pressures, we will continue to organise 'NO' in the most powerful manner.”