Labour and democracy forces in Ankara held a press conference titled ‘We Defend HDP's Right to Do Politics’ with the participation of Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Co-Chair Mithat Sancar. Human Rights Association (IHD) Co-Chair Öztürk Türkdoğan made first speech at the meeting attended by the representatives of 45 organizations. He stated that they defend the HDP's right to do politics for democracy and human rights. “We are going through a period when dialogue and negotiations are suspended, law and human rights are ignored, and some dark forces are emerging in our region and in our country.  As the language of violence becomes dominant, social problems, especially violence against women and children, have intensified and people remain under great pressure.”

'COUNTRY WHERE OPPONENTS ARE JAILED'

Türkdoğan pointed out that Turkey has turned into a country where dissidents are put into prisons. “Opposition parties, which are the key elements of democracies, are targeted by the government and a climate of hatred has been created. Opposition leaders are openly lynched and threatened, and party workers are killed in party buildings,” he said.

 'POLITICAL COUP ON DEMOCRATIC POLITICS’

“We consider the government decision to close the HDP along with the judicial pressure against its members, administrators and employees and physical attacks, as a political coup on democratic politics in Turkey.

Those who govern Turkey should respect the fundamental human rights and democratic values ​​guaranteed by the Constitution and revoke the withdrawal of the Istanbul Convention. The right to political association, which is one of the basic principles of human rights and freedoms, cannot be blocked for any reason. We expect the Constitutional Court to make a fair decision that complies with the human rights and democratic principles put forward in the ‘DTP and others versus Turkey’ decision of the ECtHR. For all these reasons, we defend the HDP's right to do politics for democracy and human rights, and we call on all democratic forces to show solidarity against this unlawfulness,” he said.

'WE SUPPORT HDP'

Turkish Medical Association (TTB) Secretary General Prof. Dr. Vedat Bulut expressed concern over the deterioration of social health, especially in Kurdish provinces. “Can a society whose mayors are replaced by government-appointed trustees be healthy? Now there is a closure case against HDP. We've seen them fail before. We support HDP,” Bulut said.

Şükran Kablan, Co-Chair of the Confederation of Public Labourer’s Unions (KESK), said that “We will fight until we create a world where peoples live freely and equally, and labour is liberated, and capital is destroyed. We will say no to party closures.”

Fevzi Ayber, a member of the Central Disciplinary Board of the Labour Party (EMEP), said, “Of course, we defend the right to do politics. We consider every attack and closure case against the HDP as an attack against all democratic forces, who are fighting for democracy, peace, freedom, and labour”.

'NO RIGHTS AND FREEDOM UNDER THIS REGIME'

Writer Fikret Başkaya said that “This regime considers the opposition as an enemy and those who think differently as traitors. When politicians do not murder journalists, they put them into prisons or force them to become refugees. The history of the last hundred years is the history of murders and massacres. This regime cannot be reformed. It is incapable of confronting his past. It is nevertheless quite possible to change it.”

'PUPPETS OF THE STATE'

Başkaya pointed out that the ruling AKP-MHP parties are the ‘puppets of the state’, saying, “They want to close the HDP because it is disrupting the plans of the holy state. The state has no means other than imposing violence. This situation provides great opportunities for the opposition parties.”

‘EACH STAGE OF STRUGGLE IS AN ACHIEVEMENT’

“There are millions of people behind the HDP. The country has genuine opponents. It's all about activating that potential. There is no such thing as losing during the struggle for rights, freedom, democracy and social equality. Each stage of the struggle is a new achievement. Once you take a step, you begin to become free,” he added.

CALL UPON OPPOSITION

Head of the Revolutionary 78'ers Federation, poet Ahmet Telli, said, "As here, it is necessary to bring democracy forces to the field of action. It should not be forgotten that the way and method for doing this is to remain revolutionary and to believe in the brotherhood of peoples.”

Güneş Gümüş, Chair of the Socialist Labourers Party (SEP), said, “It is now clear that the entire opposition forces must unite. If we want to remove the AKP government, it is necessary to unite the opposition. We need to make the labour class a part of this struggle as well.”

People's Houses (Hakevleri) General Secretary Mustafa Eberliköse said, “Whenever fascism is in crisis in Turkey, the first party it targets is the HDP. Therefore, defending the HDP's right to do politics actually means defending the peoples of Turkey”.