Republican People’s Party (CHP) presidential candidate Muharrem İnce has visited Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) presidential candidate Selahattin Demirtaş who is jailed in Edirne Prison since November 2016.

Demirtaş sent the following message after the visit.

“First of all, I extend my thanks to Mr. Muharrem İnce for his visit.

Injustices experienced in our country for a long time continue in the election process too. I find Mr. İnce’s visit meaningful and important in terms of both exposing these injustices in my person and political courtesy.

Me and my friends are being held hostage behind bars. However, outside (of prison) is unfortunately not any different from a semi-open prison.

State of Emergency (OHAL) conditions, one-voice media, injustices like threats of dismissal and arrest, mobilization of the state’s resources for a single presidential candidate and profiling of the opponents make it impossible to run the election campaign under equal circumstances. I hope that elections will pave the way for democracy, freedoms and peace in spite of this unjust contest.

Again, I believe that a constructive language and manner to be adopted by the candidates and parties in the election campaign will make significant contributions to eliminate social polarisation.

Beyond being a political message to our voters, this visit by Mr. İnce is an example of humanitarian solidarity with political courtesy. In this way, despite the fact that our political views differ, no matter who will win in the end of the election campaign, we will be contributing to social reconciliation and culture of peace. I would particularly like to express my gladness over Mr. İnce acting with this perspective.

Of course, our people deserve the best of everything. Despite all the obstacles, repression and challenges, me and my party HDP will run our election campaign with this perspective for an honorable representation of the oppressed.

On this occasion, I wish success to Mr. İnce and other candidates, and thank him again for his visit and humanitarian solidarity.

I hope the elections will lead to goodness for our country and people.”