The Swedish MPs in the Party of European Socialists (PES) Delegation who were prevented from meeting with HDP Co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş spoke to the ANF. The MPs condemned the prevention of the visit and stressed that they will continue their solidarity with HDP.

ORBACK: WE WILL NOT ACCEPT THE ARRESTS AND THE PRESSURE

Sweden Olof Palme Center Chair Jens Orback said: “The AKP regime took their human rights violations and oppression of the opposition to the level where they arrested Turkey’s second largest opposition party’s co-chairs and MPs. This is unacceptable, and we will continue and fortify our solidarity with HDP.”

Orback said they weren’t allowed to even get close to the Edirne Prison where they went to meet with HDP Co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş, and their vehicle was stopped 100 m away from the prison by soldiers carrying heavy weapons. Orback reiterated that they had to read the press statement in a field.

Orback said Turkey doesn’t respect freedom of expression, freedom of press or human rights and continued: “We demand the arrested HDP MPs, the journalists and Kurdish mayors be released immediately.”

GRANLUND: WE WILL TELL THE WHOLE WORLD ABOUT THE VIOLATIONS

Sweden Social Democrat Worker’s Party MP Marie Granlund mentioned that they had to hold the press statement across from the prison and said:

“The developments in Turkey are in the wrong direction and causes for concern. It’s unlawful, political party leaders and MPs are imprisoned. Public workers are laid off en masse. There are severe violations of freedom of expression and human rights. We also can’t accept the attack on the Cumhuriyet newspaper.”

Granlund was asked what they planned to do once they returned to Sweden and she answered: “We will tell the Swedish public and all the world about all human rights violations in the country and what we went through here. We will tell the truth to the people. I believe parliamentarians from other European countries should also take a stand against the rights violations in Turkey. Everybody must protest what is happening.”

LÖFBERG: RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AT A PEAK

Social Democrat Worker’s Party International Deputy Secretary Morten Löfberg stated that democratic rights in Turkey are restricted more every day and the rights violations have peaked with the arrest of HDP co-chairs, MPs and elected co-mayors.

Löfberg said: “Many media outlets in Turkey were shut down with baseless claims. We find these violations of free speech very concerning. A committee from the Party of European Socialists is here in Edirne to show solidarity with our sister party HDP for this reason. We are doing this to show that we don’t accept the arrest of HDP MPs and the rights violations. Our solidarity with HDP will continue in different ways.”

ÇETİN: THEY MUST BE RELEASED AT ONCE

Lawyer and Social Democrat Worker’s Party Dalarna Region Ombudsman Evin Çetin stated that it was important that for the first time, many MPs all over Europe came to Turkey to show solidarity with HDP and visit the co-chairs.

Çetin said the following:

“International law ensures that political prisoners have contact with the outside world. But the Turkish government disregards international law and prevented our colleagues from meeting with Demirtaş. Social Democrats and Sweden Foreign Minister Margot Wallström took the arrest of HDP MPs to the European Union agenda and demanded sanctions for Turkey. They also voiced this in a meeting with Europe’s foreign ministers.

Before all, we demand the HDP MPs and elected co-mayors are released immediately. Our long term goal is, even though it looks hard and bleak right now, the end of war in Turkey and a return to peace negotiations.”

HEDIN: AGAINST INTERNATIONAL LAW

Social Democrat Worker’s Party MP Rosa Güçlü Hedin stated that the arrest of MPs elected by popular vote and elected co-mayors for political reasons is against international law, and demanded they be released immediately.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS IN SOLIDARITY

The PES MPs who came to visit Demirtaş and made a press statement are:

Segei Stanishev PES Chair

Hannes Weninger, Austria

Josette Durrieu, France

Arne Lietz, Germany

Maria Granlund and Jens Orback, Sweden

Pia Locatelli, Giacomo Filibeck, Lorenza Tibiri, Italy