Detention operations and targeted suppression policies have been used against members of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) over recent days in Turkey.
Twenty HDP politicians were detained on 25 September, and 17 were later arrested, including former Executive Board members. Kars Municipality co-mayor Ayhan Bilgen was among the detainees.
The Turkish government has appointed trustees to Kars Municipality, and 19 people, including Kars Municipality co-mayor Şevin Alaca, were detained in operations held on 1 October.
On 3 October the HDP Central Executive Board (MYK) made a statement regarding the latest incidents. The main course of action, according to the statement, will be strengthening the struggle against political operations.
The HDP argues that the Justice and Development Party (AKP)-Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) alliance aims to drive dissenters to despair through intimidation, and that political suppression is used to achieve this aim.
Details of the struggle against the AKP-MHP alliance will arrive in the coming days, according to the statement.
“We call to all the oppressed peoples of our lands”, concludes the statement. “The hope of justice, democracy and freedom will be paramount as long as the HDP exists”.
