The Democratic Regions Party (DBP)’s Van provincial organization held its 6th Ordinary Congress. DBP Co-Chair Saliha Aydeniz, HDP deputies and hundreds of people attended the congress held in a wedding hall in the city on Thursday.

Aydeniz pointed out that the government implemented a policy of persecution against the Kurdish people, institutions and organizations, yet no one took a step back and stopped resisting.

'TURKEY'S HATCHET MEN KILLED NAGIHAN'

“A few days ago, our friend Nagihan Akarsel was murdered by Turkey's hatchet men in Sulaymaniyah. We know that this hitman got there legally and committed this murder. The Turkish Ambassador has already confirmed it. During the notorious 90s, 17 thousand people were killed by state-sponsored hatchet men. State officials take inspiration from the '90s. But no matter what they do, the Kurds do not compromise on their freedom, they will not give up. Turkey is now using the KDP and the Barzani family to carry out new massacres against the Kurds. This stance is a betrayal to the Kurdish people. The Barzani family should know that we will never accept this. All non-governmental organizations and the people in Kurdistan should oppose this betrayal and massacre,” Aydeniz said.

WOMEN'S RESISTANCE IN IRAN

Aydeniz spoke about the murder of Jîna Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman murdered by the so-called morality police in Tehran in mid-September. “We salute those who make their hair a flag of freedom. Just as women in Rojava resisted and set an example for the whole world by building a democratic and ecological life, women in Rojhilat (Eastern Kurdistan) are doing the same under the slogan 'Jin Jiyan Azadi' (Woman, Life, Freedom). It is the same mentality that killed Hewrîn Xelef, Deniz Poyraz, Nagihan Akarsel and Jîna Amini. This evil mentality should know that the Kurdish women will defeat it with their stance. Until a free society is formed, women will struggle,” Aydeniz said.

'WE WILL CONTINUE OUR STRUGGLE'

Speaking about the ever-worsening situation in Turkey’s prisons where more inmates die every passing day, Aydeniz continued, “A policy of torture is implemented in prisons. Just yesterday, a friend of ours was murdered in prison. Because the AKP-MHP fascism maintains its rule through massacres and hostility to the Kurds. Prisoners die in jail. The Ministry of Justice, prison administrations and the AKP government are responsible for the deaths. Our mothers are carrying out a Justice Vigil in many cities. We should not leave our mothers alone. We will continue our struggle until the demands of the mothers are met.”

CPT'S VISIT TO IMRALI

Aydeniz emphasized that the isolation imposed on Öcalan in the Imrali prison has spread to the whole country. “The "censorship bill" is currently being debated in the parliament. The government is introducing this bill so that the isolation continues. Mr. Öcalan is the main negotiator for peace, democracy and the Kurdish question in the country, but we cannot receive any news from him. The CPT, which has paid a visit to the Imrali prison recently, should release its report urgently because our concerns are growing. Our struggle to break the isolation continues. The physical freedom of Mr. Öcalan must be secured. Öcalan's freedom means the freedom of women, the Kurdish people, and Turkey's democratization,” she said.

After Aydeniz's speech, Şengül Polat and Harun Okay were elected as co-chairs of the party.