There have been martial law practices in Hakkari since 2015. Police searches are carried out at check-points at the entrances and exits of the city and in every neighbourhood. Almost all the activities of HDP are blocked. The attempt recruiting of informers among young people is a common practice in Hakkari.

HDP Hakkari Central Province co-chair Sinem Seven spoke to ANF about the pressures in Hakkari. She said that special war policies are implemented in Hakkari, and added: “Our youth are encouraged to use drugs. Just like in Batman, there are soldiers and police attacks against our women and girls. The bans and prohibition are actually ‘illegalizing’ Hakkari. When we go to Şemdinli from here, we have to pass through 20 chcek-points. These have just been set up to intimidate people.”

More soldiers than citizens

Seven underlined that the number of soldiers deployed in Hakkari almost exceeded the current population and added: “We lost the previous elections because of the votes of the soldiers. Everyone feels under pressure here, because of the heavy presence of soldiers. When we work as a party, there are searches carried out to the houses and trade places we visit just after our visit. People are threatened. Wherever you turn your head, you can see that we are under blockade."

Fear of the State

Noting that young people are often harassed at police stations, and there are attempts to recruit them as informers, Seven claimed that there have been also serious sexual assaults against women. Noting that many incidents in Hakkari are kept within the family because people both fear from the state and the consequences that could come from the still alive tribal structure, Seven said: “There are police search and check points at the entrance and exit of every neighbourhood. You enter a market and people with long barrel guns appear. Everyone has a gun on their waist and they do not hesitate to take it out. There is a fear; fear of both the state and the tribe. The fear of being killed and excluded prevails."

Seven said that mothers and father are scared, because they are being threatened with something happening to their children. Likewise, parents are used to threaten young people. “People tell us this when we go home to visit them. The silence of the families can be understood. They also tell us that they are with us every time we visit them.”

Pressure on the HDP

Speaking about the pressure on her party, Seven reminded that the AKP holds its own events and often organizes marches, while the HDP is prevented even from handing out leaflets or organizing events. “On November 25, women were prevented from entering the district, their vehicles were stopped, and fines were imposed. Entrance and exit to our party’s building is recorded. They record who came to the party and who left it 24 hours a day. There is much pressure, but despite that we see that our work is appreciated by people."