Mehmet Tahir Eleftoz, who voted for barred deputy Hatip Dicle, applied to Human Rights Association (ÝHD) Diyarbakýr Branch claiming that he and 85,000 voters have been harmed by the Supreme Election Board’s (YSK) decision to strip Dicle of his mandate.

Eleftoz said in his petition; “Prime Minister R. Tayyip Erdoðan stated that ‘each vote represents the honor of voters.’ But the YSK under Erdoðan’s administration ignored our votes. It means that PM passed our votes and honor into someone which we have not known. This is something against my will. And it is against the will of 85,000 other people. I found this decision arbitrary and a violation of human rights. I will pursue every legal avenue to get my right respected.”

ÝHD Diyarbakýr Branch Secretary Raci Bilici, stated that the association will defend the man’s right, taking his application as a model for many other voters.

Bilici also added that the association has been receiving many calls complaining about the YSK’s decision.