ISTANBUL, Turkey (A.W.)—LGBT activist and lawyer Levent Pişkin was arrested on the morning of Nov. 14 in his Istanbul home. Pişkin, who is the Peoples’ Democratic Party of Turkey’s (HDP) Istanbul Provincial Co-Chair and member of the Özgürlükçü Hukukçular Derneği (ÖHD – The Freedom of Law Association), was arrested in a police raid around 5 a.m., according to reports.
The ÖHD released a statement breaking the news about the police raid. “Our member, HDP Province Co-chair and lawyer Levent Pişkin was detained after he was targeted by partisan media with an early morning police raid,” read a part of the statement.
Pişkin was accused by the pro-government newspaper Daily Sabah of ”terrorist propaganda” after visiting HPD Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş in prison and delivering a message on behalf of him to the foreign press.
The ÖHD is among the nearly 400 organizations, which were shut down on Nov. 11 by the interior ministry on charges of being ”terrorist organizations,” based the state of emergency decree issued after the failed coup on July 15.
Levent we pray for your safety and quick release in order to continue the vital work you provide to the LGBT community and beyond.