WAN – Police attacked a rally in Wan (Van) protesting the attacks on North and East Syria. Nearly 100 people, including the co-chairs of the DBP, the co-mayors of Van Metropolitan Municipality, and Van Bar Association President Sinan Özaraz, were detained.

 

Masses took to the streets in Van province on Monday in protest at the attacks by Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) and Turkish-backed mercenary groups against North-East Syria.

 

The demonstration, organized by the Labour and Democracy Platform in Van, was attacked by the police. Even before the demonstrators could reach the starting point of the protest march, the police took violent action against the participants and several people were injured.

 

Nearly 100 people were taken into custody during the violent crackdown, including the co-chairs of the provincial organizations of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, Democratic Regions Party (DBP), the deposed Co-Mayors Van Metropolitan Municipality, Neslihan Şedal and Abdullah Zeydan, Van Bar Association President Sinan Özaraz, and co-chairs of many civil society organizations in the city.

 

Reports say that those detained were tortured.