News Center – Turkish police conducted dawn house raids in Amed (Diyarbakır), Istanbul, Mardin, Şırnak and Riha (Urfa) on Tuesday, detaining many people, including three journalists.

In Amed, Turkish police raided the homes of Cengiz Dündar, Co-mayor of Peyas (Kayapınar) district of Amed, Roza Metina, head of the Mesopotamia Women Journalists’ Association, journalist Ahmet Sünbül, filmmaker Ardin Diren and many teachers, members of the Eğitim-Sen (Teachers’ Union). According to the reports, police continue to search the homes.

In Mardin, Turkish police conducted house raids, detained five people from the same family identified as Mehmet Şimdi, Mehmet Şimdi, Mehmet Nur Şimdi, Medine Şimdi and Roni Şimdi. According to the local sources, they have been detained for participating in protests against the removal of the elected-mayor of Mardin.

Turkish police also conducted house raids in the Cizîr (Cizre) district of Şırnak, detaining many people. The number of the detained people is still unknown.

In Istanbul, police raided many houses, detaining many people. According to the received reports, three journalists - Roza Metina, Gülcan Dereli and Erdoğan Alayumat- Hamza Kağan, Bilge Aksu, Ahmet Sümbül, Ardin Diren, Cengiz Dündar and Human Rights Association (IHD) member Nimet Tanrıkulu are among the detained people.