NORTH KURDISTAN, — Between 18 and 21 March at least 679 Kurds have been arrested by the Turkish police. From the 1st of March to the 21st the number of detained people rises to 1095.
The government had banned all Newroz celebrations planned before 21 March but people took to the streets as the main demonstrations have always been celebrated on the Sunday before 21 March.
The police attacked the crowd intending to join the demonstrations since the early hours of the morning. And clashes followed. Celebrations have been held in 130 areas, organised by the BDP (Peace and Democracy Party).
On 18 March BDP executive Haci Zengin died in Istanbul as the result of the violent police attack on the crowd. In Istanbul BDP deputy Mulkiye Birtane were also targeted by police and taken to hospital.
From the beginning of the year some 2945 people have been taken into custody. The Turkish Human Rights Foundation (TIHV) has recorded 693 people taken into custody in the month of February.
Of these, 178 were remained in custody. In January the number of people taken into custody reached 887. On average, according to these figures, 36 people a day are taken into custody.