HDP Co-President Selahattin Demirtaş visited the vigil for imprisoned academics in Bakırköy Women’s Closed Prison and stated that the AKP transformed into a perverted cult that has been bombarding mosques and massacring civilians. Demirtaş criticized the imprisonment of 4 academicians because of their signatures in a peace petition, and called upon Turkish society to raise its voice for peace.

'PEOPLE WHO SHOULD BE RECEIVING THE PEACE PRIZE ARE IN PRISON'

Demirtaş stated that 4 academicians were in jail for demanding peace, and people who should be receiving the peace prize are in prison whereas people such as government officials who should be in jail are free. Demirtaş noted that the freedoms of speech and press were the requirements for all other freedoms, and the AKP government was attacking these two freedoms because it is afraid that its crimes such as supporting ISIS and massacring civilians in North Kurdistan will be fully exposed. Demirtaş criticized mainstream media outlets for their biased coverage censoring peace demands and favoring Erdoğan.

'THEY ALMOST REWARDED RAPISTS'

The HDP Co-President stated that the other 3 parties in parliament only unite when it comes to anti-Kurdish positions such as lifting the immunity of HDP parliamentarians. Demirtaş criticized Erdoğan’s provocative statements targeting academics, students, journalists and other groups, and described Erdoğan’s silence on exposed rapists an attempt to protect and even rewards rapists for his political aims.

‘AKP TRANSFORMED INTO A PERVERTED CULT’

Selahattin Demirtaş said that the AKP transformed into a perverted cult as its members failed to make a public criticism of rapists in education institutions, and were trying to hide their crimes by blaming everything on the HDP. Demirtaş noted that Erdoğan had hundreds of paid-journalists, and criticized the double standard of mainstream media when it comes to criticizing the government.

'THEY GET HAPPIER AS MORE BLOOD SPILLS'

HDP Co-President stated that Erdoğan was scared of calls for peace and said that the AKP got happier as more blood spills and citizens die. The HDP Co-President emphasized that the reason Erdoğan has been pushing so hard for the presidential system is because he is aware that the AKP’s crimes against humanity are exposed and its time in government has come to an end. Demirtaş criticized the on-going operations of genocide in North Kurdistan, and said that the AKP government has been bombarding mosques and murdering civilians.

CALL TO TURKISH SOCIETY

Lastly, Demirtaş said that government officials were lying to the public about the on-going operations, criticized Erdoğan’s praise for death and martyrdom, and called upon Turkish society to raise its voice for peace and end the on-going war.