JINHA

ISTANBUL – Police attacked the law and literature departments at Istanbul University, arresting at least 36 students yesterday morning. Police claimed that the dozens of students had supported the men who, on Tuesday, took hostage the prosecutor in the Berkin Elvan case.

One of the hostage-takers slain by police, Şafak Layla, had been a law student at Istanbul University.

Teams of riot police and plainclothes police entered the Law School of Istanbul University, taking video of students. They claimed that students had supported the hostage taking by DHKC members the previous evening, in which three people lost their lives. They arrested at least five students, claiming they were members of the group Youth Federation.

Police then entered the Literature Faculty, forcefully arresting 11 more students from the groups Student Collectives and Idea Club Federation.

(fk/cm)