Van Mayor Bekir Kaya Arrested

Authorities arrested Van Mayor Bekir Kaya, who had been detained on June 7, as well as nine other members of the BDP within the scope of the investigation into the KCK.

The police Saturday arrested Van Mayor Kaya, lawyer Cüneyt Caniş from the Asrın Law Office and Başkale District Mayor İhsan Güler, who had been removed off his post by the Ministry of Interior, on the charge of "membership in a terrorist organization."

Law enforcement officials yesterday also arrested Özalp District Mayor Murat Durmaz, Edremit District Mayor Abdulkerim Sayan, as well as the BDP's Muradiye District head Mehmet Şirin Yıldız, its Çaldıran District head Metin Adugit, its Özalp District head Yakup Almaç, the BDP's former Erciş District head Veli Avcı and Derviş Polat, the BDP's former Başkale District head and a member of the Democratic Society Congress (DTK.)

The BDP's Van deputies Özdal Üçer and Nazmi Gür, other BDP administrators and municipal employees joined hundreds of others waiting before the courthouse to protest the decision and chanted "Repression cannot intimidate us." (NV)