On Thursday, March 16, 2017 at 06:20 o’clock local time Turkish police stormed the home of the Assyrian activist Yuhanon Aktas in Midyat and arrested him accused of membership in the PKK. Aktas is an active member of the Kurdish HDP and the Chairman of the federation Huyodo Suryoyo in Mardin. In accordance with ongoing state of emergency his file has been classified. Not even his legal representative may take part of the allegations. Up to one month, can a griffin be in custody without the prosecutor need to provide any information about the case.

Yuhanon Aktas’s party colleague Simon Poli tells us about the arrest and suspects it may be some Kurds who have informed Aktas. The reason could be money, because each informant is rewarded with 300 TL.

The conversation also touches the abuses against the Assyrians in Gozarto by the self-proclaimed Kurdish PYD-rule. The latest is the decision to close the ADO office in Hassakeh. Today, 99 years ago, i.e on March 16, 1918 the Assyrian commander Mar Benyamin Shimun was murdered by his ally, the Kurdish tribal leader Simko Shikaki. In the interview therefore reference is made to Kurdish betrayal of their Assyrian allies for centuries. This raises the question how long the Assyrian groups today loyal to the PYD and its parent organization, the PKK, will go on with such kind of “cooperation”.

Update: Yuhanon Aktaş is now released