IHD documents numerous electoral frauds and assaults

In an interim report on the course of the parliamentary and presidential elections in Turkey, the Human Rights Association (IHD) pointed to cases of fraud, manipulation and violent attacks.

In an interim report on the conduct of the parliamentary and presidential elections in Turkey, the Human Rights Association (IHD) pointed to numerous cases of fraud and manipulation. The report, published together with the Independent Platform for Election Observation, also includes reports on incidents of violence and assaults at polling stations, mainly in the Kurdish areas.

Adıyaman

In the province of Adıyaman, which was affected by a series of earthquakes in February, the brothers of the AKP provincial chairman voted openly in the village of Eskitaş in Kahta in the presence of members of the gendarmerie (military police).

Ankara

At a polling station in the Gülen Muharrem Pakoğlu Secondary School in Çankaya, Ankara, an election agent of the Green Left Party was denied presence at the ballot box number 1174 despite having received confirmation from the Supreme Election Board (YSK). The reason given was that the person's name was not on the electoral board's list.

Amed

In Amed (Diyarbakır), around 200 people were unable to exercise their right to vote because they were appointed election officials without their knowledge and consent. Members of election committees can only exercise their right to vote with a specific document ("142 belgesi") in the polling stations where they are officially mandated.

Antep

In Antep, 4,084 cases were confirmed in which voters were involuntarily appointed as ballot box attendants of the Fatherland Party (Vatan Partisi) of the right-wing populist politician Doğu Perinçek. Those affected only found out about this at their polling stations. Since they were also missing the document with the number 142, they could not vote.

Giresun

Pre-stamped ballot papers have turned up in Giresun. In all cases, the crosses were placed for the incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Istanbul

In Istanbul, an election official of the Workers' Party of Turkey (TIP) was beaten up by AKP ballot observers at a polling station in the Neslişah Imam Hatip School in the Fatih district.

Mardin

In Kızıltepe district of Mardin, members of the AKP parliamentary candidate Faruk Kılıç attempted to cast votes en bloc in the neighborhood of Eşme. After an intervention by the Green Left Party election observers, the opposition party members were attacked by a mob of government supporters. Green Left Party observers Havas Güngör and Kemal Erbey were injured in the attack and were hospitalized in Kızıltepe.

Urfa

In the Alacali neighborhood of Harran district in Urfa, men were observed voting instead of their spouses.

In Siverek district, according to information from former HDP MP and Green Left Party candidate Mehmet Rüştü Tiryaki, an open vote took place in Çinhisar Primary School.

In the district of Akçakale, a CHP election official was doused with boiling water. The attack at a polling station in the Gündaş neighborhood, suspected to have been perpetrated by supporters of the ruling AKP, was preceded by a refusal to allow the group of about 50 people to vote collectively. In addition to the water attack, the election commissioner was also insulted and physically assaulted.

Şırnak

In Uludere district of Şırnak province, IHD activist and independent election observer Fevzi Kara was attacked by Hazım Babat, head of the paramilitary Babat clan, and his followers. Kara was slightly injured.