Kurdish Football Fans Arrested for Not Standing During Turkish Anthem

Eleven fans of the Turkish football club Amedspor have been arrested in Diyarbakır province during the Amedspor-Denizlispor match for not standing during the performance of the Turkish national anthem, as reported by Duvar.

Amedspor is the football team of the Kurdish-populated Diyarbakır province, which has faced numerous attacks from nationalist hooligans in recent years.

The police took the fans to the Diyarbakır security directorate on charges of "insulting the symbols of state sovereignty." It is noted that the prosecutor has requested the release of Amedspor fans under judicial supervision through a peace criminal procedure.

Previously, legal cases were initiated against six Amedspor fans who did not stand during the national anthem in a match in 2021, as well as against 19 individuals from a 2022 match. These individuals have been charged with "publicly insulting the national anthem."