The Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) HDP issued a statement to mark the massacre of Greek and Armenian peoples in 1955.

The HDP said: "One of the most painful and shameful pages in Turkey's history has been lived 65 years ago, on 6 and 7 September. It was the pogrom-massacre which took place in Istanbul, Izmir and many cities against Greeks and Armenians, Christians and Jewish citizens. They were exposed to a planned and systematic wave of attacks.”

The statement noted that 73 churches, 8 holy springs, 2 monasteries, and 5.538 houses and workplaces, 3.584 of which belonged to Greeks, were destroyed and plundered during the massacre. Stating that many people were murdered, cemeteries were destroyed and hundreds of women were subjected to sexual assault, the HDP said: "The attacks were planned and implemented by the National Security Service, the predecessor of the Counter-guerrilla and MIT."

The statement said: "Although 65 years have passed since the attack, as it happened with every painful and embarrassing attack in the history of the Republic, the attackers were protected, the massacre was covered up. Indeed, the attackers were promoted and rewarded."