Turkey detains pro-Kurdish mayor on suspected terrorism links
December 20, 2019, 10:10 am

Turkey detains pro-Kurdish mayor on suspected terrorism links

Police guard the entrance to Turkey's largest airport, Istanbul Ataturk. (File photo Reuters)

Turkish authorities on Friday detained a mayor from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) due to suspected links to Kurdish militants, a security source said, the latest in a crackdown on mayors from the party since elections this year.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his government accuse the HDP of having links to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militant group, leading to prosecutions of thousands of its members and some leaders. The HDP denies such links.

Ankara has appointed acting mayors to 31 HDP municipalities in southeastern cities and districts since March elections, according to the HDP, and 23 of the HDP’s co-mayors are currently jailed pending trial.

The HDP governs many cities in the southeast of Turkey and typically appoints one male and one female co-mayor to promote gender equality.

Filiz Buluttekin, the mayor of the Sur district in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir, was detained on Friday, the security source said. Two other municipal council members were also detained.

The HDP said police had raided Buluttekin’s home early on Friday. Images showed blockades around the Sur municipality building.

State-owned Anadolu agency said investigations were being conducted against Buluttekin on charges of terrorism propaganda, insulting the Turkish people, the government and the parliament.

It said Buluttekin had attended the funerals of PKK militants and joined a press conference regarding PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, jailed since 1999.

The former co-leaders of the HDP have both been jailed since2016 on terrorism charges, with several other prominent members accused of supporting terrorism over what the government says are links to the PKK.

source: Reuters

More than 60 dead in latest Syria clashes: War monitor Lebanon’s new PM designate says govt will be formed within a six-week period

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”