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Hadep members detained in Turkey

The Turkish opposition Democratic Party Hadep says 70 of its members have been detained by police.

It says that in the southern province of Icel, more than 50 people were arrested on Thursday after raids on party offices.

Also on Thursday, 18 members of the Democratic Party in the western province of Aydin were taken into custody.

It says most of them have since been released, but 28 are still in detention.

The Turkish authorities frequently take action against the Democratic Party because of its alleged links to the separatist Kurdistan Workers Party, the PKK.

The Democratic Party's deputy chairman has rejected any charges of connections with the PKK.

He says the raids come after an unspecified publication was banned.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service