Lloyd Russell-Moyle, Labour MP and the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Syria and Turkey spoke to journalist Erem Kansoy about the APPG report called “Kurdish Political Representation and Equality in Turkey”. 

The APPG said that the treatment of the Kurdish population and of elected representatives is one of the greatest threats to democracy in Turkey and the wider region. Repression of elected representatives from the pro-Kurdish HDP party includes actions such as removal from office, bringing charges of terrorism-based offences, and policies of imprisonment and torture has now started to expand to CHP (the centre-left party that founded modern Turkey).

These instances of repression and violence exacerbate the conflict between the Turkish state and Kurdish groups. As the repression of democratically elected representatives has increased in severity, the violence directed at Kurdish civil society has also become more pronounced.

The APPG has agreed 32 recommendations for the UK Government, including one that the listing of the PKK as a terrorist group be reconsidered in light of evidence received. The APPG has written to the Foreign Secretary seeking a response.

The interview was prepared with the support of the Freedom for Ocalan Campaign and the Peace in Kurdistan campaign in collaboration with Medya Haber TV and Sterk TV. Peace in Kurdistan – Campaign for a political solution of the Kurdish: https://www.peaceinkurdistancampaign.com