As Turkey’s local elections approach, the AKP’s police and gendarmerie forces have increased raid operations in the city of Van.  The AKP regime tries to disrupt the HDP’s election campaign through arresting activists.

Recently in Van’s Erciş district, the police have raided hundreds of houses, taken hundreds into custody and arrested dozens. In the past two months, 70 people have been arrested during raids that targeted 200 houses. 

There is a significant support for the HDP despite the ongoing violence

Residents of Erciş strongly support the HDP and its co-mayor candidates. The AKP held a meeting two days ago in the district to promote its candidate, yet no one participated in the meeting. Unable to receive popular support, the AKP is trying to intimidate the people of Erciş through the police and gendarmerie, yet the people continue to advocate the HDP campaign despite the arrests.

Erciş residents express discontent with the arrests

Erciş residents continue to express discontent with the violence that the AKP is committing. The people stated that since the AKP could not succeed in the June 24 elections in their town, they are arresting people out of fear. The residents noted that they will give a greater lesson to the AKP in March 31 local elections.

A citizen from Erciş who wanted to remain anonymous due to security concerns, said: “We want the elections to be held in an equal and democratic atmosphere. Yet some parties are trying to prevent this from happening. In the entire region of Van, especially in Erciş, the AKP has no voices. The AKP knows this reality, thus they continue with oppression. Despite all this violence, we will vote in March 31 elections and give a historic lesson to the AKP and its partner MHP.

In the center of Erciş district, on January 14-19-22, 2019, 38 people were taken into custody, 20 were remanded in custody, while18 were freed on the condition of judicial control.