ISTANBUL - Many people were detained in the police attack on the sit-in organized by the relatives of the prisoners in front of the Forensic Medicine Institude (ATK). Reacting to the attack, HDP supporters called on to the ATK not to be accomplices in prisoners' deaths.

The sit-in in front of the Istanbul Forensic Medicine Institute (ATK) in Yenibosna, which was started on January 20 by the Prisoners Solidarity Initiative to draw attention to the situation of sick prisoners, continues in its second week. In addition to the members of the Prisoners Solidarity Initiative (TDI), the United Struggle Forces, Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Istanbul MPs Züleyha Gülüm and Zeynel Özen, and representatives of many non-governmental organizations supported the sit-in with the slogan of “freedom for sick prisoners”.

SCORES DETAINED

Before the press release, the street where ATK was located was blockaded by the police with armored vehicles. The relatives of the prisoners who came to the ATK were blocked by the police on the grounds of the ban on demonstrations imposed by the Bahçelievler District Governor's Office.  After the relatives of the prisoners stated that they were determined to carry out and hold the press release, the police attacked the crowd. The police beat and detained scores of  people.

Police also tried to block journalists who tried to photograph the attack.

'DO NOT BE ACCOMPLICES'

HDP MPs made a statement in front of the ATK. HDP Istanbul Deputy Zeynel Özen protested the attitude of the policeand demanded the ATK not be an accomplice in the deaths of prisoners.