The attempted military coup in Turkey, on the night of July 15 to 16, organized by some divisions of the Turkish army revolted against President Erdogan has resulted in nearly 300 deaths in Istanbul and Ankara, over a thousand injured, and resulted in less than 24 hours 6000 arrests. At the call of power, the coup of lynchings took place and the possibility of a restoration of the death penalty resurfaced. The policy of extreme polarization, orchestrated by the AKP, has fueled the divisions within the army.
The French Communist Party expresses its solidarity with the peoples of Turkey, Democrats and progressives who are caught between state violence, mobilization of the extreme right and ultra-religious, and military rebellion. However, as emphasized by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (HDP), there can be other solutions that democratization of Turkey and the establishment of lasting peace in the country, especially in the Kurdish cities besieged for nearly a year by the police and army.
The events of July 15 and 16 show that the policy of R. T. Erdogan leads to chaos. France and the European Union must condemn and stop supporting it. The French foreign minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, saying this morning the will of France to see “the rule of law in Turkey operate fully” and refuse any “blank check to Mr. Erdogan”, commits the inflexion speech of France, which will be followed up. For, after the failure of the attempted coup, the worst is already running.
R. T. Erdogan amplifies the purge of his opponents in the state apparatus, including the judiciary and the army, in violation of the rule of law. Thousands of judges were dismissed and arrested, including members of the State Council and the Constitutional Court. This purge should be extended to all the high administration.
While now posing as the “defender of democracy”, RT Erdogan continues establishing his dictatorship after crushing the freedoms, muzzled the media, reduced the powers of the opposition lifted the parliamentary immunity of deputies HDP to throw them in jail, and triggered a deadly war against the Kurdish population of the country.
When the conservative and nationalist forces are around the block power, we must certainly expect the announcement of a referendum on constitutional reform to establish the ultra-presidential system against non-power which aspires Erdogan.
R. T. Erdogan believes he can capitalize on the events of recent days to restore his image and that of Turkey hitherto isolated diplomatically because of its support to different organizations Daesh jihadists and Al Nosra. If JM Ayrault doubt the reliability of the Turkish regime in the matter, the PCF they would remind him that the evidence of that duplicity are known and have earned journalists, such as Can Dündar, prosecution and attempted murder.
Today, Erdogan considers himself authorized the bloodiest mass brutality. It is the responsibility of France and EU member countries to cease their support for this regime represents for Turkey and its region one more obstacle to peace and collective security.
French Communist Party
Paris, July 17, 2016
Peoples' Democratic Party – Representation in Europe