Turkish police detained 39 people, including the co-chair of a socialist political party, in raids across 11 provinces on Tuesday as part of an investigation into alleged links to outlawed far-left groups, sparking condemnation from opposition parties and left-wing organizations, Turkish media reported.
The İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office issued detention warrants for 52 people and ordered searches of 42 locations. Among those detained was Mertcan Titiz, co-chair of the Socialist Refoundation Party (SYKP), a left-wing party affiliated with the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party).
Police carried out raids in İstanbul, Ankara, Adana, Antalya, Aydın, Balıkesir, Diyarbakır, Elazığ, Mersin, Muğla and Şanlıurfa.
Authorities said eight of the 52 suspects were abroad and two were already in prison. Police detained 39 of the remaining 42 suspects and were searching for three others.
Prosecutors said the investigation was based in part on statements from people who had cooperated with authorities under Turkey’s “effective remorse” provisions, which allow suspects accused of certain offenses to receive reduced sentences in exchange for providing information to investigators.
According to information released by the authorities, 44 suspects are accused of links to the Marxist-Leninist Communist Party (MLKP), four to the Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist-Leninist (TKP/ML) and its armed wing, the Workers and Peasants Liberation Army of Turkey (TİKKO), three to the DSİH-Kaldıraç group and one to the Maoist Communist Party (MKP).
Turkey has designated the groups as outlawed organizations.
Police said searches yielded digital materials and documents described by authorities as organizational in nature, as well as a handgun, two magazines and 53 rounds of ammunition. Authorities did not say where the weapon and ammunition were found or identify the suspect to whom they allegedly belonged.
The DEM Party condemned the detentions, specifically citing Titiz and people associated with the Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP).
The party said the operation was incompatible with efforts to create a more democratic political environment as Turkey’s government continues talks aimed at resolving the decades-old conflict with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
“At a time when we are talking about peace and a democratic society, the targeting of politicians, rights defenders, journalists, writers and academics is unacceptable,” the party said.
The DEM Party also pointed to recent restrictions on social media accounts belonging to journalists, academics and rights organizations, saying such measures were narrowing the space for democratic politics.
Turkey has in recent months taken steps toward ending its decades-long conflict with the PKK after jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan called on the group to disarm and dissolve. The process has led to renewed debate over democratic reforms and the treatment of the political opposition.
The SYKP also condemned the raids and called for Titiz and the other detainees to be released.
The party said police had detained socialists and other political activists in early morning raids and accused authorities of trying to intimidate government opponents.
The ESP said some of those detained had previously participated in its activities. It criticized prosecutors’ reliance on statements from cooperating suspects and accused authorities of criminalizing socialist political activity.
The Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK), an umbrella organization that brings together left-wing, pro-Kurdish and civil society groups, also condemned the operation, saying criminal investigations and detentions were increasingly being used against political organizations and activists.
The İstanbul prosecutor’s office had not announced any indictments of the detainees as of Tuesday.
