Protests continue to pour in after three HDP municipalities in Amed, Mardin and Van were confiscated by trustees. Socialist Party France condemned the trustee invasion.

“COUP AGAINST DEMOCRACY”

Socialist Party France issued the following statement:

“The Socialist Party strongly condemns the removal from office of mayors in the Kurdish majority cities of Diyarbakir, Mardin and Van in the southeast of Turkey on August 19, 2019.

HDP’s democratically elected mayors were replaced arbitrarily by governors appointed by the state. At the same time, 418 people, mostly city council members and municipal workers were detained under the guise of anti-terror efforts.

Socialist Party condemns this coup against democracy and expresses deep concern for the Turkish government’s use of force against democratic opposition, starting with the HDP. Some 100 mayors were removed from office in the past and governors were appointed in their place from Ankara. HDP’s two former co-chairs and several MPs are still in prisons.

“FRANCE AND THE EU MUST CONDEMN”

Socialist Party states once again that the fight against terrorism doesn’t justify these attacks against democracy or the tyranny against Kurdish people. This incident must be condemned strongly by France and the European Union.”