Former CHP (Republican People’s Party) MP Eren Erdem has been arrested this week in Turkey. He had been excluded from the list by his party for June 24 elections. With Erdem's imprisonment, two CHP deputies are now in jail. Of the HDP (Peoples’ Democratic Party), nine deputies are in jail, while the parliament membership of 22 deputies was revoked.

In the context of these arrests, it is ironic that the majority of the CHP MPs themselves had voted in favor of lifting the immunity of MPs when it came to a constitutional amendment, which at the time was primarily directed against HDP deputies. President Erdoğan had issued an open persecution order to the prosecutors and judges he controlled immediately after agreeing to the constitutional amendment, saying, "There is no running away".

The biggest protests against the imprisonment of Eren Erdem came from the ranks of the HDP. HDP deputy Ayhan Bilgen and the CHP deputy Sezgin Tanrıkulu spoke to ANF on the issue.

“It was clear from the beginning that this would happen”

Bilgen referred to the illegal lifting of the immunity of the HDP MPs in 2016 and described the current events as a continuation of this political extermination campaign. The consequences of this decision were known from the beginning, he said.

Bilgen pointed out that a number of CHP MPs had also objected to the removal of immunity at that time and still a number of HDP MPs were arrested.

“The opposition must act together”

Bilgen said, "In the days ahead, we'll see even further actions. We must learn from the mistakes of the past and work together against every attempt to break the law, division and treatment as an external enemy against whomever it is directed. "

Bilgen said it was vital that the opposition defend democratic culture and the rule of law against political repression. He also said they could visit Erdem, if granted permission.

“The imprisonment of Erdem is a new message to the opposition”

CHP MP Sezgin Tanrıkulu commented on the detention of Erdem as a "completely illegal detention order seeking revenge".

The arrest is contrary to any legal practice and constitutes a political message to the opposition, said Tanrıkulu and added; "Unfortunately, the judiciary is currently being used as the sword of political power. Opposition lawmakers, lawyers, writers, journalists and intellectuals are being arrested in ways that are far from justice and law. Anyone who assumes that there will be a relaxation after the elections is wrong. The repressive and authoritarian rule mentality of the current government will continue to deepen."