ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Police raided the Peoples’ Democratic Party’s (HDP) office in Diyarbakir Friday night, arresting seven people who are on hunger strike to demand better prison conditions for jailed Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan.
"We have faced a very brutal attack," HDP said in a statement on Saturday.
The police smashed the office's windows and entered the building "alleging there were criminals inside,” the party stated.
Police also beat a number of HDP members, according to Mezopotamya News Agency.
The raid was captured on video and shared by HDP lawmaker Dersim Dag. Heavily armed police can be seen forcing their way into the building as people try to resist, pushing back against riot shields.
Çi ji destê we tê bikin hûn nikarin li hember vê berxwedanê bisekinin. Em ê yan serbikevin yan serbikevin. Em ê tecrîdê yan bi?kînin yan bi?kînin!#LiHemberFa?izmêBerxwedan pic.twitter.com/gH7n4vL9jb
— Dersim Da? (@DersimDag21) March 9, 2019
The hunger strikes have been ongoing for about four months. The movement was started behind bars by parliamentarian Leyla Guven 122 days ago. She was being held on charges related to her condemnation of Turkey’s military offensive in Afrin, northern Syria.
Guven was released from jail in January, but has vowed to continue her hunger strike until authorities bring Abdullah Ocalan out of isolation.
Ocalan, who founded the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), has been in jail for 20 years. He is being held on Imrali Island and is not permitted to have regular visits from his family or legal team. In January, his brother was allowed to see him – the first family visit in more than two years. His lawyers have not been granted access since July 2011.
Guven’s hunger strike sparked a wave of similar action by Kurdish activists across Turkey and extending to Europe and North America.
The hunger strikers have large popular support. HDP co-chair Sezai Temelli visited the Diyarbakir group earlier in the day on Friday.
HDP co-chair Sezai Temelli (centre, bearded) visited hunger strikers in Diyarbakir on Saturday. Photo: HDP
HDP accused the police of “besieging” their office to break the hunger strike. The party condemned the crackdown and vowed they will “resist.”
“You keep raiding on us. Don’t you have any other work?” MP Ebru Gunay asked police.
HDP is outspoken in its opposition to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. It is under intense pressure as it campaigns ahead of municipal elections on March 31.