Journalist İrfan Değirmenci detained

Journalist İrfan Değirmenci was detained by police teams while giving a speech during an event at Yoğurtçu Park in Kadıköy.

The Workers' Party of Turkey (TİP) stated in a post on social media that the police intervened unlawfully in the event held at Istanbul Kadıköy Yoğurtçu Park and that several people, including the party's PM member İrfan Değirmenci, were detained.

"OUR COMRADES MUST BE RELEASED IMMEDIATELY"

A post was shared on the Workers' Party of Turkey's social media account regarding the detention process. The following statements were used in the post:

The police are unlawfully blockading and detaining participants at the event we organized with our PM member İrfan Değirmenci at Istanbul Kadıköy Yoğurtçu Park.

The struggle for an equal and free life cannot be silenced; our comrades must be released immediately!

TİP LAWYER MAKES STATEMENT REGARDING DETENTIONS

Özgür Urfa, a lawyer for the Workers' Party of Turkey, made statements to Halk TV regarding the detentions.

In his statement, Urfa said:

"An event was organized at Yoğurtçu Park today at 17:00 with the participation of our Party Assembly member İrfan Değirmenci. It was an event titled 'TİP is by your side in June.' There were no problems whatsoever until the end of the event.

Just as the event was about to conclude, the police surrounded everyone participating. They were besieged and blockaded, and without even an announcement to disperse, and without waiting for people to leave the area, many of our party members and attendees, primarily İrfan Değirmenci, were harshly detained without any justification. The detention procedures are currently ongoing.

"WE ARE FACING LAWLESSNESS AND ARBITRARINESS"

Without any justification, completely arbitrarily, and due to the arbitrary attitude and behavior of the Istanbul Police and the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, dozens of people are currently being detained with torture for no reason. This situation is completely unacceptable. People who have committed no crime are suddenly being surrounded and detained without warning. They are being taken to the police station unlawfully. It is not even clear what they are being accused of. Lawyers are not being provided with information. We are currently facing such lawlessness and arbitrariness.

"THOSE DETAINED WILL BE TAKEN TO VATAN POLICE HEADQUARTERS"

We have information that those detained are currently being taken to the hospital. From there, they will be taken to the Vatan Police Headquarters, and we expect the interrogation process to begin there in a few hours. All our lawyer colleagues, our party member lawyers, and party lawyers are already on their way to the Police Headquarters.

Let us declare once again that we will not leave anyone alone there either. Against those who think they can isolate people by detaining them, we, as all the lawyers, will continue to stand by everyone who has been detained and defend their rights to the end. The Istanbul Bar Association will also be there as human rights defenders. No one who has been detained will be left alone. Our citizens should rest assured. We will continue to stand by everyone."

47 PEOPLE DETAINED

At the party event organized by the Workers' Party of Turkey (TİP) at Kadıköy Yoğurtçu Park, TİP Party Assembly member İrfan Değirmenci and 47 others were detained for violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations following a detention order issued by the Istanbul Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor's Office for Terrorism and Organized Crimes. It was learned that the procedures for Değirmenci and the 47 people detained are continuing at the Istanbul Provincial Police Department's Security Branch.

Journalist İrfan Değirmenci, who was giving a speech at Yoğurtçu Park in Kadıköy, was detained by policehttps://t.co/bjZ2f95TGW pic.twitter.com/5PwWpFpRdI

— 12punto (@12puntocomtr) June 28, 2025

News Source: 12punto