The Chief Public Prosecutor at the Turkish Court of Cassation has submitted a new indictment for a ban against the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) to the Constitutional Court in Ankara. The indictment equates the HDP with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and accuses it of undermining the “indivisible integrity of the Turkish state”.
Since this is Erdogan’s political revenge case, in the new indictment for a ban, Chief Public Prosecutor Bekir Şahin is now calling for the political ban to 500 members of the HDP. In addition, all of the party’s accounts are to be frozen. It is expected that the Constitutional Court will decide in the next two weeks whether to initiate ban proceedings against the HDP.
In his 850-page-long indictment, the prosecutor argued that the party closure was an implementation adopted “in all advanced democracies.”
Ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) spokesperson Ömer Çelik commented on the new indictment, saying: “It is a process that restarted with the completion of the deficiencies.”
After years of repression against the HDP, prosecution Şahin filed the first indictment calling for the closure of the party on 17 March.
On March 31, a first version of the application had been found fault with and returned. The constitutional judges instructed the Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office to revise and resubmit the indictment.
In doing so, they followed the recommendation of a rapporteur who had previously reviewed the indictment and found formal errors. Among other things, it was criticized that personal data and job titles were incorrectly stated in the indictment and that some of the HDP politicians for whom a ban on politics is demanded have already died. In addition, no sufficient connection had been established between the actual activities of the party organs and the accusations.
The prosecutor’s move marks the revival of a long history of Turkey banning political parties, including pro-Kurdish ones.
The HDP is under increased pressure from nationalist allies of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). This alliance is waging systematic repression in the country against the HDP and the Kurdish people who are demanding freedom, democracy, and a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
At the same time, this Islamic, nationalist and conservative alliance is waging a war against the Kurds in northern Syria and northern Iraq, where it has occupied several Kurdish settlements and established dozens of military bases, under the cover of operations against the PKK.
Turkish regime is targeting Makhmour Refuge Camp which recognised by UN and UNHCR. Moreover, targeting ‘a refugee camp’ is clear violation of international and humanitarian law.
Makhmour Refugee camp has been shelter to over 12.000 refugees since 1998. Linda Thomas-Greenfield (US Ambassador to UN) said; “Any attack targeting civilians at Makhmour refugee camp would be a violation of international and humanitarian law.”
The HDP opposes this policy of war and occupation by Erdoğan and his partners.
The move has coincided with falling poll support for the AKP and its nationalist allies as they battle the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. Elections are not scheduled until 2023.
June 7 has an important symbolic meaning: 6 years ago today, the HDP passed the 10% electoral threshold and won 80 seats in parliament. June 7 was a turning point in Turkey’s history as it showed the success of pluralist politics. Since then and despite continuing pressure, HDP has been the locomotive of democracy and peace struggle.
Source: Press and HDP Europe