Turkey: 24 held for 'promoting terror' on social media

By Anadolu Agency correspondents

ANKARA (AA) – Twenty-four suspects were detained across four Turkish provinces on Thursday on charges of promoting terrorism on social media, police said.

Seven suspects were arrested in southeastern Mardin province for sharing posts that allegedly praised the PKK terrorist organization, according to Mardin's Kiziltepe Counter-Terrorism Police Department.

Another two suspects in the same city who were detained on similar charges, were later released under judicial restrictions.

One suspect was also arrested in Turkey’s northwestern Canakkale province for promoting the PKK on social media, according to judicial sources.

Ten other people were detained over the same allegations in Turkey's western Izmir province, separate police sources told Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity.

Several banned publications related to the PKK were found by police in the suspects' houses and offices.

Four more suspects were detained in eastern Bitlis province for promoting the terrorist organization on social media sites, according to police. Documents related to the terrorist network and several unregistered firearms were found in the suspects' houses.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU.