Turkish authorities on Tuesday arrested two leftist educators in Ankara, who have been on a hunger strike for over 76 days to protest their dismissal by the AKP government.
The prosecutor sought the arrest of Nuriye Gülmen and Semih Özakça and they were referred to court with the arrest demands on May 23.
Gülmen and Özakça were accused on the grounds that their protest was an act committed in the name of DHKP-C, a leftist group deemed a terrorist organisation by the State, according to the court document. The educators have been formally arrested based on the allegation that "the evidence has not been gathered fully yet and if they are not arrested, this would harm the functioning of the justice".
Özakça and Gülmen were reportedly asked by the prosecutor whether they wanted to start mass protests similar to the Gezi Park protests of 2013, what the motive behind their hunger strike. The prosecutor was referring to large anti-government demonstrations four years ago when hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets to protest Islamist AKP government's pressure.
"The prosecutor’s office asked Özakça, 'What kind of a benefit was presented to you in order for you to launch a death fast?' In return, Semih said, 'I’m not on a death fast, but I’m on a hunger strike. What kind of interest could I have? " lawyer Zehra Özdemir told Bianet news portal.
"What is the purpose of you engaging in acts that are far from demanding rights, but instead are inciting hatred and enmity among people? " the educators were reportedly asked.
While waiting for the court’s decision after testifying, Özakça said they can’t get the right to ask for a job from them. Gülmen, meanwhile, said they can be arrested even if there were no evidence.
“The prosecutor can’t ask a question. The only question he was able to ask was, ‘Did you share anything through social media that includes criminal tendencies?’ There wasn’t any question other than that. However, we think that we will be arrested. We will continue rejecting being oppressed in jail too. That’s why they are desperate. Our resistance will continue in jail,” she said.
