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| Turkey pro-Kurd HDP party condemns arrest of leaders | Turkey pro-Kurd HDP party condemns arrest of leaders |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| The pro-Kurdish HDP party in Turkey has denounced the arrest of its leaders on Thursday night as an attempt by the government to eradicate democracy. | The pro-Kurdish HDP party in Turkey has denounced the arrest of its leaders on Thursday night as an attempt by the government to eradicate democracy. |
| The HDP said the arrests were a dark day for the country, as its supporters took to the streets in protest. | The HDP said the arrests were a dark day for the country, as its supporters took to the streets in protest. |
| HDP joint leaders Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag are accused of spreading propaganda for militants fighting the Turkish state. | HDP joint leaders Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag are accused of spreading propaganda for militants fighting the Turkish state. |
| They and 10 other HDP activists deny links to the PKK Kurdish rebel group. | They and 10 other HDP activists deny links to the PKK Kurdish rebel group. |
| All were arrested for refusing to answer prosecutors' questions. | All were arrested for refusing to answer prosecutors' questions. |
| Mr Demirtas has won international support with his liberal politics, but critics say he has failed to distance the party sufficiently from the PKK. | Mr Demirtas has won international support with his liberal politics, but critics say he has failed to distance the party sufficiently from the PKK. |
| Hours after the arrest, a huge car bomb killed eight people and wounded more than 100 in the south-eastern city of Diyarbakir. | Hours after the arrest, a huge car bomb killed eight people and wounded more than 100 in the south-eastern city of Diyarbakir. |
| Turkish authorities blamed the outlawed PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party), but the group known as Islamic State later claimed the attack through its Amaq news agency. | Turkish authorities blamed the outlawed PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party), but the group known as Islamic State later claimed the attack through its Amaq news agency. |
| State of emergency | State of emergency |
| Riot police on Friday clashed with demonstrators in Ankara, Istanbul and other cities over the detentions, Hurriyet Daily News reported. | |
| HDP lawmaker Adem Geveri told the Associated Press news agency that the government wanted to create "an authoritarian Turkey" devoid of democratic opposition. | HDP lawmaker Adem Geveri told the Associated Press news agency that the government wanted to create "an authoritarian Turkey" devoid of democratic opposition. |
| The arrests have been condemned by Germany and the EU. | The arrests have been condemned by Germany and the EU. |
| Militants have been fighting for years to achieve independence for the Kurds, Turkey's biggest ethnic minority. | Militants have been fighting for years to achieve independence for the Kurds, Turkey's biggest ethnic minority. |
| Turkey remains under a state of emergency that was imposed after a failed military coup in July. | Turkey remains under a state of emergency that was imposed after a failed military coup in July. |
| The emergency allows President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his cabinet to bypass parliament when drafting new laws and to restrict or suspend rights and freedoms. | The emergency allows President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his cabinet to bypass parliament when drafting new laws and to restrict or suspend rights and freedoms. |
| The BBC's Mark Lowen in Turkey says that the arrests represent a major escalation of a clampdown that has seen Kurdish media closed down and the mayor of Diyarbakir arrested. | The BBC's Mark Lowen in Turkey says that the arrests represent a major escalation of a clampdown that has seen Kurdish media closed down and the mayor of Diyarbakir arrested. |
| Our correspondent says they are likely to provoke more tension among Kurds - and more violence too. | Our correspondent says they are likely to provoke more tension among Kurds - and more violence too. |
| Hopes of an end to Turkey's decades-long Kurdish problem have evaporated since a ceasefire with the PKK broke down in 2015, leading to a wave of tit-for-tat attacks. | Hopes of an end to Turkey's decades-long Kurdish problem have evaporated since a ceasefire with the PKK broke down in 2015, leading to a wave of tit-for-tat attacks. |
| Why were the party leaders arrested? | Why were the party leaders arrested? |
| The government says they were detained for failing to co-operate with a counter-terrorism investigation, which the two leaders vowed to boycott in June. | The government says they were detained for failing to co-operate with a counter-terrorism investigation, which the two leaders vowed to boycott in June. |
| Defending the arrests, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said: "They did not respect the law." | Defending the arrests, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said: "They did not respect the law." |
| The MPs are also accused of spreading propaganda for the PKK. | The MPs are also accused of spreading propaganda for the PKK. |
| Deemed a terrorist organisation by the US, the EU and Turkey, the PKK has been fighting the state since the 1970s in a war which has claimed at least 40,000 lives. | Deemed a terrorist organisation by the US, the EU and Turkey, the PKK has been fighting the state since the 1970s in a war which has claimed at least 40,000 lives. |
| How big was Friday's bomb attack? | How big was Friday's bomb attack? |
| The blast in Diyarbakir ripped the facades off multi-storey buildings and firefighters searched rubble afterwards for people trapped. | The blast in Diyarbakir ripped the facades off multi-storey buildings and firefighters searched rubble afterwards for people trapped. |
| A police building is thought to have been the intended target. Two police officers are among the dead. | A police building is thought to have been the intended target. Two police officers are among the dead. |
| Is it legal for MPs to be arrested in Turkey? | Is it legal for MPs to be arrested in Turkey? |
| Turkish politicians normally have immunity from prosecution but this was removed from the HDP - the third largest party in the country - and some other MPs in May. | Turkish politicians normally have immunity from prosecution but this was removed from the HDP - the third largest party in the country - and some other MPs in May. |
| Last month, the joint mayors of Diyarbakir, Turkey's largest Kurdish-majority city, were also arrested as part of a terrorism investigation. | Last month, the joint mayors of Diyarbakir, Turkey's largest Kurdish-majority city, were also arrested as part of a terrorism investigation. |
| Is the HDP linked to the PKK? | Is the HDP linked to the PKK? |
| While commonly seen as the main pro-Kurdish party, HDP is an eclectic grouping which also appeals to leftists, liberals, environmentalists, gay rights activists and pious Muslims. That explains why it is Turkey's third-largest party. | While commonly seen as the main pro-Kurdish party, HDP is an eclectic grouping which also appeals to leftists, liberals, environmentalists, gay rights activists and pious Muslims. That explains why it is Turkey's third-largest party. |
| It entered parliament for the first time last year, winning 59 seats. | It entered parliament for the first time last year, winning 59 seats. |
| During the election campaign, it carried a moderate message despite dozens of attacks against party supporters and offices, culminating in a deadly attack on its largest election rally in Diyarbakir two days before the vote. | During the election campaign, it carried a moderate message despite dozens of attacks against party supporters and offices, culminating in a deadly attack on its largest election rally in Diyarbakir two days before the vote. |
| The party strongly denies any links to the PKK. | The party strongly denies any links to the PKK. |
| Turkey's HDP party goes mainstream | Turkey's HDP party goes mainstream |