Swedish Left Party Chairperson Jonas Sjöstedt, Parliament Deputy Speaker Lotto Jonhson Formarve and party member in charge of Foreign Affairs H. Erik Metz Swernaling visited the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) in Ankara on Tuesday. The Swedish politicians were welcomed by a delegation which consisted of HDP Co-chair Pervin Buldan and HDP Foreign Relations Commission Co-Spokesperson […]
EP Report on Turkey underlines serious concerns
The European Parliament yearly report on Turkey published on Tuesday said that “despite the lifting of the state of emergency in July 2018, the adverse impacts of the two-year long emergency ruling continued to significantly impact on democracy and fundamental rights.” The report added that “the situation in the south-east of the country continued to be very worrying, despite […]
Seventeen more arrests, including the co-mayor of Kars and former MPs
Our Foreign Affairs Spokespersons’ statement that details and summarizes the latest developments: As we have already informed the international public, the chief prosecutor in Ankara issued arrest warrants for 82 people, many of whom HDP representatives, on September 25th. Consequently, the police detained twenty HDP politicians on the grounds of their role in the Kobane […]
International solidarity with People’s Democratic Party
INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY WITH Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) On 25 September 2020, 82 people whom associated with the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) in Turkey arrested by the Turkish State. Including recently elected mayors and former parliamentary politicians. This is an attempt to intimidate and silence the HDP as democratic opposition and millions of people who HDP […]
“Helicopter torture” of two Kurdish villagers in Van: Servet Turgut died!
On 11 September 2020, Turkish soldiers detained two villagers in Catak District of Van, namely, Mr Servet Turgut (55), father of 7 children, and Mr Osman Şiban (50), father of 8 children. Families could not get news from them for two days. On 13 September 2020, families were informed that both detainees were under intensive […]
82 more arrests: The onslaught on the HDP continues unabashedly!
The ultranationalist and decisively anti-Kurdish AKP-MHP alliance continues with its onslaught on the HDP under the conditions of a global pandemic. Today we woke up to the news that the chief prosecutor in Ankara issued arrest warrants for 82 more people. So far many of those in the 82-people-list have been detained on the grounds […]
Co-chair Mithat Sancar’s open letter to Robert Spano, the president of the ECtHR.
Dear President Robert Spano, I have learned through the news media of your upcoming visit to Turkey on 3-4 September 2020 with the agenda of receiving an honorary doctorate from Istanbul University on September 3rd and teaching a class at the Turkish Academy of Justice in Ankara on September 4th. As has been frequently noted […]
Decisions on common heritage are political games of the government!
Cornered in all domestic and foreign political matters, unable to manage the economic and social crises, and experiencing a deadlock due to the coronavirus, the AKP-MHP ruling bloc has once again put to misuse historical and cultural assets as a political tool for a way out. Having tried to influence pious people during electoral campaigns […]
Letter to Josep Borrell: Take concrete steps to help end Turkey’s unlawful repression and attacks
In an open letter to Josep Borrel members of the European Parliament called for concrete steps, as economic and targeted sanctions, to help end Turkey’s unlawful repression and attacks: Mr Borrell,We are writing to draw your attention to the repression of democratic political opposition in Turkey, especially the detention of MPs and Mayors from the […]
On the detentions and arrests against the HDP and unlawful closure of the Democratic Society Congress
In a political climate where any criticism of the government is equated with terrorism, incessant detentions and arrests have become routinized means of intimidating the democratic society and politics in Turkey. As the stronghold of the HDP and political center of Kurdish region in Turkey, Diyarbakir is the city that is most targeted by government […]