Diyarbakır co-mayors Kışanak and Anlı arrested
HDP’s Diyarbakır co-mayors Gültan Kışanak and Fırat Anlı were taken into custody 5 days ago. Having been allowed to talk to their lawyers yesterday for the first time since then, both Kışanak and Anlı have been referred to the court on duty with a warrant of arrest.
Kışanak and Anlı, and, the term spokesperson of KJA (Congress of Free Women) Ayla Akat Ata, have been arrested with charges of ‘membership of terrorist organization’.
Lawyer of Kışanak: ‘Their arrest at such late hour is purposeful’
Gültan Kışanak ve Fırat Anlı'nın avukatlarından Mehmet Emin Aktar tutuklamaları BirGün'e değerlendirdi: Talking to BirGün about the arrest of Kışanak and Anlı, their lawyer Mehment Emin Aktar said: “The decision for Gültan Kışanak to be arrested has not been a surprising after seeing the arrest of Fırat Anlı earlier today. There was a decision already made previously. Why do we say that? Anlı and Kışanak were taken into custody on the same day but in reference to separate investigations. There are separate claims and the cases are handled by different prosecutors. However, at the end, they have both been arrested. This signals us that the decision is ordered from somewhere aside from the judiciary. Arresting Kışanak at such late hour is nothing but an intention to show off by saying ‘We are trying them!”
Lawyer Aktar had also stated the following earlier: “If Kışanak and Anlı had wanted to do so, they could have not testified. However, both testified at the police department out of their will. Kışanak gave her testimony to the police while Anlı testified to the gendarmerie. During the interrogations, no sound evidence or document was presented; both of our clients were simply questioned about their speeches and remarks.”
CHP MP Tanrıkulu: ‘The decision is completely political’
CHP İstanbul MP and legal expert Sezgin Tanrıkulu reminded that several pro-AKP media sources actually released news about ‘Kışanak being arrested’ before even the official decision was announced and said this indeed shows that this decision is not judicial but rather political. Tanrıkulu shared further comments with BirGün: “There has been no decision filed against Gültan Kışanak since the July 15 coup attempt. And, there is no complaint after the decleration of state of emergency. So, why didn’t they (judiciary officials) question them before? The distance between Diyarbakır Courthouse and the Diyarbakır Cosmopolitan Municipality building is not far. If there is something, you go ahead and have them testify. These people (Kışanak and Anlı) are on their duty. There is no suspicion in regards to possibility of them to escape anywhere. The warrant of arrest is completely political.”
Former MP from BDP is also arrested
Former MP of Batman from BDP, Ayla Akat Ata was taken into custody while participating in the demonstration in front of Diyarbakır municipality HQs against Kışanak and Anlı being taken into custody. As Ata was also ordered to appear before the court after her interrogation by the prosecutors, she got arrested.
Source: https://www.birgun.net/haber-detay/gultan-kisanak-ayla-akat-ata-ve-firat-anli-tutuklandi-133579.html