One of the leaders of the protest, which led to riots against the construction of a mine in northeastern Turkey, welcomed Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu's decision to temporarily suspend the construction.Neşe Karahan, head of Green Artvin Association, together with other activists, met Davutoğlu and cabinet ministers on Wednesday after days of protests in Cerattepe, a forested area in the province of Artvin in northeastern Turkey. Protesters have been demanding the government to deny the private company permission for construction of a copper mine, citing concerns for the environment. Davutoğlu has ordered suspension of the construction until a court hearing a lawsuit by protesters against the construction concludes the legal process.Karahan told Anadolu Agency (AA) that it was a positive development that Davutoğlu "heard the voice of the public." "Mr. Davutoğlu listened to our delegation and we told him about our struggle," Karahan said. Karahan added they appreciated the temporary suspension, but they would wait for a "final decision" on the matter. She said they had applied to a local court for the suspension of construction, and a team of experts from the court would visit the site on March 14 to assess whether the mine would harm the environment.