Lawyers for Freedom Association protested the usurpation of HDP municipalities in Amed, Mardin and Van on August 19. HDP MPs also attended the demonstration.

The press briefing read at the demonstration protested the appointment of trustees to the usurped municipalities and the detention of hundreds of people. The statement is as follows:

“With the usurpation of the people’s will and the midnight raids, the intention to continue the state of emergency practices in our cities has been exposed once again. These practices are not new. In 2016, trustees had been appointed to almost all HDP municipalities. In the March 2019 local elections, the people went to the polls against the intimidation and annihilation policies imposed upon them and put forth their will once again. The government couldn’t tolerate that and, in a disregard for the law, imposed policies against the Kurdish people again.

The state has been using current laws not in the name of democracy and justice but to their own interest, as such, cannot be defined as a state of law. We lawyers, for this exact reason, are aware that it is a responsibility for us to speak up so a democratic state of law can be established. Because the government, starting with the state of emergency they declared, has been using the law as an instrument as they try to construct a regime. They have also continued to pillage the natural environment, implement sexist policies and arrest social opposition. The situation in recent days is a product of this policy.

These policies have targeted the co-mayorship institution that was implemented as a positive discrimination practice to ensure women’s inclusion in politics. The state has thus attempted to prevent women acting as political subjects.

Considering everything, we see that the law in practice has become just a tool to serve the government. As such, we as the Lawyers for Freedom Association say these injustices must end at once through the establishment of a social peace and that the law must serve democracy and justice. We repeat that the will of the people cannot be confiscated.”