Police forced their way into the İstanbul home of Çiçek Otlu, a deputy from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) in an early morning raid on Tuesday, Turkish Minute reported, citing the lawmaker’s announcement.
Otlu, who represents İstanbul, has denounced the incident on social media and declared her intention to legally challenge what she calls an unlawful intrusion.
According to Otlu, Anti-Terrorism Unit (TEM) officers forcibly entered her home and caused unspecified damage.
“I don’t yet know the extent of the damage to my house. I will continue to denounce this injustice everywhere. I will file a lawsuit,” Otlu said in a statement.
The police raid was related to an investigation in İzmir targeting several locations in İstanbul and İzmir. The operation led to numerous detentions, including members of the Socialist Assembly of Councils (SMF), the Socialist Women’s Councils (SKM) and the Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP).
Pro-Kurdish parties in Turkey are frequently accused of having links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), and dozens of their politicians and members are in jail on terrorism charges.
The PKK, which has been waging a bloody campaign in Turkey’s southeast since 1984, is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey and much of the international community.
Pro-Kurdish parties deny links any links to the terrorist group and say they are working for a peaceful solution to Turkey’s Kurdish issue.
The Kurdish issue, a term prevalent in Turkey’s public discourse, refers to the demand for equal rights by the country’s Kurdish population and their struggle for recognition.
