Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) deputy Tülay Hatimoğulları is part of the "Democracy March against the coup" which approaches the capital Ankara from Edirne in the west and Hakkari in the east of the Turkish territory. She says that the march is carrying the desire for justice, law and democracy to Ankara. Another participant of the march from Hakkari is HDP MP Murat Sarısaç. ANF spoke with the two MPs about the march and its goals.

“Our march will allow people breathe again”

Sarısaç first describes the repression against the democracy march: "While leaving Batman, we were stopped by the military forces, who threatened the members of parliament, saying; 'We'll beat you all up here, you won't get out of here.” This event sums up very well why we are doing this demonstration. These attacks on the march of our party show exactly why we are demonstrating. We are demonstrating to stop this. The people, the NGOs, the political parties, they all have no air to breathe. We will give them the opportunity to breathe again through our march. We also want to show our determination to fight shoulder to shoulder with the people for liberation from fascist regime."

"We know what awaits us in Ankara"

When asked what awaits them in Ankara, Sarısaç replies: "Just as they staged a crackdown on us in Hakkari and Edirne, they will do the same in Ankara. We know that. After all, Ankara is also the decision-making centre from which the attacks on us are coordinated. Therefore, there is no doubt that the same will happen there too. The government in Ankara does not recognise democracy and has set the whole of society back. That is why it is trying to silence the voices that are rising up against its regime. The attacks on our demonstration are concrete examples of this. We know what awaits us. We want to confront them. Our real goal is to confront them and free the people from this curse."

Demonstration received with great enthusiasm

Deputy Tülay Hatimoğulları tells that the demonstration on their previous route from Hakkari to Amed was received with great enthusiasm and says: "This is an expression of the struggle that we are giving on the basis of the commitment of the people. We have started a campaign, the first step of which is this demonstration to Ankara. The demonstration is due to end on 20 June. We started in Edirne and Hakkari and we want to address the problems of all identities in the country and bring movement to the country. We have seen in our demonstration how alive and passionate the people are."