HDP co-chair Sezai Temelli joined the rally organized in Mardin’s Kızıltepe district during the party’s electoral campaign.

Speaking at the meeting attended also by the HDP partners in the election coalition Mehmet Emin Kardaş (PDK-T), Aytullah Aşiti (Azadi Movement), Sinan Çiftyürek (KKP) and Veysi Akar (DDKD), Temelli mentioned the developments in the economy.

Legality won’t be restored until isolation is in place

Temelli said: “The ancient peoples of this land have lived together for thousands of years. Now there are those who are trying to make them hostile to each other, there are those who do not agree with living together. Yet, we're together again, we're here, we're not going anywhere!

They are trying to maintain their power by feeding on Kurdish hostility.

We say that as long as absolute isolation continues to be implemented on Mr Öcalan, this country won’t see law, justice, peace and democracy. Let’s put an end to this absolute isolation. Our demand is legal, our demand is legitimate. Like all prisoners, Mr. Öcalan should be allowed to receive visits by his family and lawyers regularly.”

Hunger strike

Temelli added: “With the end of isolation, peace will come to this country and the path to peace and democracy would be opened. We've been telling this for years, and they're ignoring it. For 124 days, Leyla is telling this. We salute Leyla! Today in our prisons, 335 comrades have added their voice to Leyla’s. We salute them too! Leyla Güven and her comrades are paving the way to peace.”

Torture in prison

Temelli went on stating that “today there is torture in prison. People who are on hunger strikes are given solitary confinement punishment and are not given vitamins. What kind of a conscience is this? Even their conscience has dried up!”

Economic crisis

Temelli talked about the economic crisis and said: “They created the economic crisis. Now the national income is explained, GDP is explained. The economy has shrunk, the current account deficit has grown, the debts have increased, unemployment has increased. You [government] have created all these problems. So you're going, the HDP is going to solve these problems.”

Let’s make our voice heard at the polls

Temelli ended his remarks by calling on people to get their voice heard at the polls on 31 March.

“Each vote is a revolution, every vote is a vote for our future. Remember, we are the party of hope, and if we walk, hope walks. As we walk, isolation ends. "