PRESS RELEASE 

A total of 3369 people have been arrested on 16-24 February 1999, after Abdullah Öcalan was brought to Turkey. 
Number of arrests on the basis of cities are as follows: 

Diyarbakir: 1196 
Van: 101 
Malatya: 4 
Urfa: 188 
Mardin: 36 
Elazig : 18 
Batman : 313 
Kayseri: 6 
Izmir: 138 
Adana: 190 
Mersin: 62 
Iskenderun: 10 
Gaziantep: 80 
Istanbul: 959 
Aydin: 68 

During demonstrations held on 16-24 February 1999, 49 civilians, 11 policemen, and 1 village guard were wounded, 2 civilians and 1 village guard lost their lives. 
A total of 12 prisoners set themselves on fire in different prisons. One of the prisoners lost his life. 
Arrest operations in Diyarbakýr are directed to Trade Union of Public Employees in Health and Social Services (SES), Trade Union of Public Employees in Educational Services (Eðitim-Sen), Trade Union of Employees in United Transportation Services (Birleþik Taþýmacýlýk Sendikasý), Chambers of Civil Engineers (Ýnþaat Mühendisleri Odasý), Trade Union of Public Employees in Municipality Services (Belediye Ýþ), Trade Union of Employees in Judiciary Services (Tüm Yargý Sen), Trade Union of Employees in Energy, Construction and Highways Services (Enerji Yapý Yol Sen), Trade Union of Public Employees in Water, Gas and Electricity Supply Services, Branch No:1 (Tes-Ýþ 1 Nolu Þube), Chambers of Mechanical Engineers (Makine Mühendisleri Odasý), Trade Union of Employees in Defence Industry Services (Harb-Ýþ) and to People's Democracy Party (HADEP) members and executives. 
In other cities, arrest operations are mainly directed to HADEP members and executives. 
The Human Rights Association regards these operations as arbitrary practices. We regard the detentions of executives and members of a certain party as arbitrary, because, these practices are violates the right to individual freedom and safety, although there is no any concrete evidence for being deprived of their right to freedom. 
We claim for those thousands of people to be released immediately or to be brought promptly before a judge in accordance with the European Convention on Human Rights, Article 5/3. 

Hüsnü Öndül 
Secretary General