Press conference at the European parliament in Strasbourg

A press conference was organized by the HDP ‘s european representation office in Strasbourg with the participation of Kati Piri (Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats in the European Parliament , Vice-president), The Greens/EFA, Group and the Confederal Group of the European United Left/Nordic Green Left.

Sezai Temelli, co-president of the People’s Democratic Party, took the floor during the conference to expose the current situation in the country. He said Turkey faced once again a political coup, on August 19, considering the appointment of trustees in 3 major cities (Diyarbakir, Mardin and Van) as an OHAL implementation and underlined therefore its unlawfulness because the implementaion was made under a state of emergency. He added the assignment was in itself a lawlessness, a violation of human rights and a violation of political rights. He said Erdoğan regime insisted on continuing the custody practice they implemented during the 2016 state of emergency and added that since they had been facing the liquidation of democratic politics and the confiscation of local governments.

Concerning Selahattin Demirtas he said:

“His case, which will be held at the ECHR tomorrow, is a symbolic case reflecting the whole period. There are thousands of political prisoners outside Demirtas in Turkey. We still have dozens of co-mayors in prisons. Although the state of emergency has ended, the government is now imposing the rule of OHAL and is dismissing our mayors. Erdoğan’s power continues to impose a custody regime on the Kurdish people. It tries to create an authoritarian regime by ignoring the political will of the Kurdish people. Erdoğan put forward the authoritarian regime against democracy and against the will of the Kurdish people. The right to be elected which is the first step of democracies can not be anihilated by this kind of underestanding which not only means an usurpation of political rights, but a violation of human rights.

We want all international institutions and the public to be sensitive about this issue. An approach that does not compromise democracy and universal values and human rights should be essential. In this regard taking decisive steps and expressing solidarity would be of great importance for both Europe, Turkey and the Middle East.”