Pro-Kurdish DTP officials arrested over illegal demonstrations in Turkey

Halil Aksoy, Istanbul provincial chairman of the Democratic Society Party (DTP) and Fatih district chairman, Mehdi Tanrikulu, were arrested after being questioned by police, the agency reported.

 

A total of 59 demonstrators, also detained over their attempt to march to Istanbul's Taksim Square in an anti-government protest organized by the DTP at the weekend, were released on Tuesday, it added. Â

 

Police fired tear gas at rock throwing demonstrators after violence erupted at Sunday’s illegal demonstration held in the country’s largest city.

 

Tensions rose across Turkey, especially in the eastern and southeastern provinces, in recent weeks, as DTP supporters organized anti-government protests in which they clashed with security forces.

 

The DTP claims that the jailed leader of the terror organization PKK faced ill-treatment in the prison where he serves life sentence ignited the flame. Â