Dozens of elected politicians from Denmark have issued an appeal expressing their solidarity with the mayors of the HDP (Peoples’ Democratic Party) who were unlawfully removed from office by the Turkish government.

The appeal by elected members of the City Council, the Regional Council and the Danish Parliament, reads as follows:

“Over a year ago, local elections were held in Turkey. In this election, the democratic opposition party, the HDP won and 65 municipalities elected a mayor from the HDP party. But today there are only 12 left. In the remaining municipalities, the elected mayors have been detained or even imprisoned and the municipalities were put under the administration of the ruling Erdogan regime.

For us as elected members of the City Council, the Regional Council and the Danish Parliament, this is an utterly worrying development. We hereby call for the voters' verdict to be respected!

We, who have signed this declaration, therefore call on all international parliamentary assemblies in which Turkey is a member of; Council of Europe, OSCE, NATO and IPU, to demand an immediate reinstatement of the elected mayors in their offices.

Yours sincerely,

Kurdish Forum - the inter - political solidarity initiative”

Signatories:

Pernille Skipper, Member of Danish Parliament, Spokesman for the Unity List of Denmark in Parliament

Pia Olsen Dyhr, Member of Danish Parliament & Chairman for the Socialist People’s Party

Søren Søndergaard, Member of Danish Parliament, Spokesman on EU for the Unity List of Denmark

Lars Aslan Rasmussen, Member of Danish Parliament for the Social Democratic Party of Denmark

Susanne Zimmer, Member of Danish Parliament

Mads Fuglede, Member of Danish Parliament for Denmark’s Liberal Party Nikolaj Villumsen, MEP for the Unity List of Denmark

Victoria Velasques, Member of Danish Parliament for the Unity List of Denmark

Bertel Haarder, Member of Danish Parliament for Denmark’s Liberal Party

Per Larsen, Member of Danish Parliament for the Conservative People’s Party

Kim Valentin, Member of Danish Parliament for Denmark’s Liberal Party

Charlotte Broman Mølbæk, Member of Danish Parliament for the Socialist People’s Party

Sjúrdur Skaale, Member of Danish Parliament for Javnaðarflokkurin (Faroe Islands)

Nils Sjøberg, Member of Danish Parliament for the Danish Social Liberal Party

Charlotte Broman Mølbæk, Member of Danish Parliament for the Socialist People’s Party Jette Gottlieb,

Member of Danish Parliament for the Unity List of Denmark

Kathrine Olldag, ​Member of Danish Parliament for the Danish Social Liberal Party

Mai Villadsen, Member of Danish Parliament for the Unity List of Denmark

Eva Flyvholm, Member of Danish Parliament for the Unity List of Denmark

Jakob Sølvhøj, Member of Danish Parliament for the Unity List of Denmark

Peder Hvelplund, Member of Danish Parliament for the Unity List of Denmark

Rune Lund, Member of Danish Parliament for the Unity List of Denmark

Christian Juhl, Member of Danish Parliament for the Unity List of Denmark

Rosa Lund, Member of Danish Parliament for the Unity List of Denmark

Henning Hyllested, Member of Danish Parliament for the Unity List of Denmark

Søren Egge Rasmussen, Member of Danish Parliament for the Unity List of Denmark

Uffe Elbæk, Member of Danish Parliament

Trine Torp, Member of Danish Parliament for the Socialist People’s Party

Karina Lorentzen, Member of Danish Parliament for the Socialist People’s Party

Karsten Hønge, Member of Danish Parliament for the Socialist People’s Party

Halime Oguz, Member of Danish Parliament for the Socialist People’s Party

Rasmus Nordqvist, Member of Danish Parliament for the Socialist People’s Party

Pernille Frahm, Former member of Danish Parliament for the Socialist People’s Party

Ole Bjørstorp, City Mayor in Ishøj municipality, for the Social Democratic Party of Denmark

Kenneth F. Christensen, Member of City Council in Hvidovre municipality, for the Social Democratic Party of Denmark

Villo Sigurdsson, Former Mayor in Copenhage for the Socialist People’s Party

Ibrahim Benli, Member of City Council in Herlev municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Serdal Benli, Vice Mayor in Gladsaxe municipality for the Socialist People’s Party

Mikkel Dragmose-Hansen, Vice Mayor in Middelfart municipality for the Socialist People’s Party

Franciska Rosenkilde, Member of City Council in Copenhagen for Alternativet

Jeanne Toxværd, Member of City Council in Gentofte municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Kim Kristiansen, Member of City Council in Herlev municipality for the Danish People’s Party,

Arly Eskildsen, Member of City Council in Herlev municipality for the Socialist People’s Party

Mette Annelie Rasmussen, ​Member of City Council in Copenhagen​ for the Danish Social Liberal Party

Peter Mikkelsen, ​Member of City Council in​ Rødovre municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Christopher Røhl Andersen, ​Member of City Council in Copenhagen​ for the Danish Social Liberal Party

Mehmet Kücükakin, ​Member of City Council in ​Albertslund municipality for the Socialist People’s Party

Steen Andersen,​Member of City Council in​ Brøndby municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Trine Henriksen, ​Member of City Council in​ Gladsaxe municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Allan Mortensen, ​Member of City Council in​ Helsingør municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Bjørn Svensson, ​Member of City Council in​ Fredensborg municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Jeanne Toxværd, ​Member of City Council in​ Gentofte municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Jesper Kiel, ​Member of City Council in​ Svendborg municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Susanne Gustenhoff, ​Member of City Council in​ Svendborg municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Jens Erik Laulund Skotte, ​Member of City Council in​ Svendborg municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Ivan Mot, ​Member of City Council in​ Lejre municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Søren Freiesleben, ​Member of City Council in​ Odense municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Thomas Clausen, ​Member of City Council in​ Slagelse municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Paw Nielse, ​Member of City Council in​ Middelfart municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Sarah Nørris, ​Member of City Council in​ Esbjerg municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Henrik Kjær, ​Member of City Council in​ Ringsted municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Øjvind Vilsholm, ​Member of City Council in​ Furesø municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Marianne Dithmer, ​Member of City Council in​ Herlev municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Lasse Olsen, Councilman ​in​ Aalborg municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Helge Bo Jensen, ​Member of City Council in​ Albertslund municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Clark Pratt, ​Member of City Council in​ Odsherred municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Bodil Kvistgaard Olsen, ​Member of City Council in​ Favrskov municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Lisbeth Torfing, ​Member of City Council in​ Horsens municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Bo Mouritzen, ​Member of City Council in​ Sorø municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Rasmus Keis Neerbek, ​Member of City Council in​ Allerød municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Per Clausen, ​Member of City Council in​ Aalborg municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Kaj Alstrup, ​Member of City Council in​ Assens municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Mette Bang Larsen, ​Member of City Council in Copenhagen​ for the Unity List of Denmark

Knud Holt Nielsen, ​Member of City Council in Copenhagen​ for the Unity List of Denmark

Pelle Andersen-Harild, ​Member of City Council in​ Frederikssund municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Niels Erik Danielsen, ​Member of City Council in​ Kalundborg municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Karen Thestrup Clausen, ​Member of City Council in​ Holbæk municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Sami Deniz, ​Member of City Council in ​Ishøj municipality for the Socialist People’s Party

Finn Rudaizky, ​Member of City Council in Copenhagen​ for the Danish People’s Party

Jens Otto Madsen, ​Member of City Council in​ Thisted municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Frida Valbjørn, ​Member of City Council in​ Randers municipality for the Unity List of Denmark

Sigurd Agersnap, ​Member of City Council in ​Lyngby-Taarbæk municipality for the Socialist People’s Party

Thue Lundgaard Curry, ​Member of City Council in​ Halsnæs municipality for the Unity List of Denmark