After the detention of the co-chair of the Democratic Region Party (DBP), Keskin Bayındır, and the co-chair of the DBP provincial association of Amed, Hayrettin Altun, many people, among them HDP (Peoples’ Democratic Party) deputies, gathered in front of the court in Amed (tr. Diyarbakır) late Tuesday evening.

THEY COULD NOT TOLERATE THE POPULAR SUPPORT

Speaking here, HDP group deputy chair Meral Danış Beştaş said: "They have been detained for four days. Simultaneous operations have been carried out in many provinces, especially against the party headquarters in Diyarbakır and the party headquarters in Ankara. Actually, the AKP and MHP had announced beforehand how they would reshape and use the judiciary to suit their interests. They need the judiciary because the DBP is disturbing them. They could not tolerate its opposition, growth and popular support.”

"REGIONAL PROSECUTORS HAVE ENGAGED IN OFFICIAL MISCONDUCT"

Beştaş continued: “A party's headquarters and provincial organisations were searched without cause. The judiciary was usurped by the government and the law was disregarded. No legal requirements were followed. Regardless of which party is involved, a party's headquarters and provincial organisations cannot be searched at the arbitrary decision of the regional prosecutor's office. The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office of the Court of Cassation is responsible for monitoring and investigating political parties. The regional prosecutors' offices have arrogated to themselves the authority of the Court of Cassation. The Court of Cassation is, of course, silent. It is under the command of AKP and MHP just like the local courts. They only use it as a weapon. Law and justice have never been so trampled on in the history of Turkey. If the leader of a political party other than the DBP had been detained and held in custody for four days, the opposition and its channels would have reported about it for days. But not a single line is reported about it. The events are made invisible.”

"WE HAVE WAGED THIS STRUGGLE TOGETHER AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO"

The HDP group deputy chair pointed out that, “I appeal here in front of the courthouse in Amed to all those in Turkey who call themselves opposition, who say they are against the totalitarianism of the AKP and the MHP, who say they are against the one-man regime, to all those who are democrats, who stand for human rights, law and justice. The DBP is a party that has won the majority in 104 municipalities of this country, a political party with millions of votes. It is the party most supported by the Kurdish population. It is the biggest component of the HDP in Turkey. Of course, we are on the side of the DBP, our member party, which says that no problem can be solved without solving the Kurdish question, and which fights for this cause and pays a high price. We have fought this struggle together and we will fight it together in the future.”

"WE WILL BRING THE GOVERNMENT DOWN FROM ITS THRONE"

Remarking that the arrest of Keskin Bayındır should not be considered by anyone as an ordinary investigation, Beştaş stated, “We will send every single line of the file to all institutions and press organisations in Turkey and around the world. During the interrogation, they accused the leader of a party of having made press statements, of having participated in rallies, of having found certain books or magazines in his flat and of having given this or that interview. Shameful questions were asked. It is shameful, not for us, but for those who asked these questions. A co-chairman of a political party was arrested against the background of these questions. What is a party leader supposed to do when he is not allowed to give an interview, visit a democratic organisation, attend a rally or speak at a press conference? You should answer this. Not everyone has to think like the government. We are the opposition. We are the opposition that will bring the government down from its throne. The HDP and its members are the key to the future of this country.”

"WE WILL NEVER TURN BACK ON THIS PATH"

Beştaş continued: “The most popular topic of the last few days is the sentencing of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu. He is also part of this plan. Imamoğlu, however, has experienced repression much later. In the Kurdish provinces, the will of the people has already been usurped for almost ten years, this region is ruled by trustees. But still, the people stand behind their will and will continue to do so. We have bad news for those who are carrying out their electoral activities by arresting party leaders, appointing trustees, filing a lawsuit to close down our party and making more arrests every day. Their actions are in vain. Be sure that we will never turn back on this path.”

“We will display democratic politics and democratic opposition to friend and foe alike. We are getting bigger and stronger, our solidarity is growing even more. Keskin Bayındır sends his greetings and love to all. On behalf of the HDP, we would like to tell him and the DBP that we are together, that we stand side by side and that we continue our struggle,” Beştaş concluded.