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Kurdish politician arrested in Turkey
A Turkish court on Monday ordered the arrest of a Kurdish politician for having allegedly praised Kurdish rebels fighting the government in a public speech, court officials said.
Aydin Budak, mayor of the town of Cizre and member of the Democratic Society Party (DTP), the main Kurdish political movement in Turkey, was remanded in custody pending trial for a speech he made on March 21 during Newroz, the Kurdish new year.
DTP members have increasingly become the target of judicial action in recent weeks on charges of supporting the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
Budak was charged with praising an illegal organisation and making its propaganda, and of inciting hatred among the population, the sources said.
Prosecutors now have to draw up a detailed indictment for the trial to start.
In his Newroz speech, Budak sent greetings to PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, whom millions of Kurds see as their leader.
Prosecutors have also launched a preliminary investigation against Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on charges that he praised Ocalan by calling him "sayin" -- a word meaning esteemed or honorable, but which also doubles for "mister" -- in a radio interview in 2000.