The AKP/MHP regime in Turkey continues its campaign of political destruction to eliminate the Kurdish and democratic opposition. Five politicians and activists of the HDP (Peoples’ Democratic Party) and its Kurdish sister party DBP (Democratic Regions Party) and a journalist were taken into custody on Monday for yet unknown accusations.

Nafiye Bal, editor of the Kurdish weekly daily Xwebûn, was taken into custody today following a police raid on her flat in Amed (Diyarbakır). Nafiye Bal was taken to the provincial police department and referred to the courthouse.

In Muş, HDP provincial co-chair Bermal Nergiz was detained after police stormed her flat and conducted a detailed search this morning. Nergiz was taken to the provincial police department.

In Istanbul, several flats were simultaneously stormed and meticulously searched by units of the Counter-Terrorism Department early this morning. Ali Gültepe of the DBP party council and HDP activist Cüneyt Yeşilyurt were taken into custody and brought to Istanbul police headquarters. Lawyers’ circles said that the number of detentions could increase further in the course of the day.

In Tekirdağ province, west of Istanbul, Rıdvan Ulaşman, co-chair of the Ereğli district branch of the HDP, and Niyazi Artun, a member of the HDP executive committee in the Çerkezköy district, were detained today. Further detentions are also expected here, according to reports.

In Turkey, detention operations against the democratic opposition take place daily. Those who are politically, socially or civically active never know when they go to sleep whether the door of their flat will be smashed by the police in the morning. Often, it is also Kurdish civil society and media activists who are targeted. In Amed, Selahattin Kaygusuz, a journalist working in Batman, has been in police custody since Thursday. He is apparently being investigated on suspicion of “terror” support, and a transfer to the public prosecutor’s office is planned for today. The case is connected to incriminating statements made by the key witness, Ümit Akbıyık. The former HDP activist has already incriminated hundreds of opposition figures in order to enjoy immunity from prosecution. The names were usually provided by the police.