HDP electoral campaign kicked off in Istanbul

Co-Chair Temelli: “We’ll tour the country promoting peace and democracy"

The Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) kicked off its campaign for the 24 June election with a much participated event in the Abbasağa Park in Beşiktaş, in Istanbul. 

The event was characterised by a festive mood, with the people showing photos of HDP former co-chairman and candidate to the Presidency, Selahattin Demirtaş and HDP flags. 

Crowd chanted: "Demirtaş for President"

The event saw the participation of the HDP spokesperson Ayhan Bilgen, HDP deputies Ertuğrul Kürkçü, Sırrı Süreyya Önder, Feleknas Uca, Erol Dora, Mithat Sancar, Aycan Irmez, Filiz Kerestecioğlu, Dilan Taşdemir, HDP former co-chair Serpil Kemalbay, HDK co-spokeswoman Gülistan Koçyiğit and a large number of political parties, artists, democratic mass organizations.

The crowd chanted slogans for Demirtaş, such as “The HDP people is here” and “Demirtaş for President”. HDP Istanbul Provincial Co-President Cengiz Çiçek, who was arrested on Thursday without any legal ground, was remembered by the crowd together with the other HDP executives in prison. The event started with a slideshow of Demirtaş's discourses.

Speaking at the event, HDP deputy and HDP Women's Council Speaker Dilan Dirayet Taşdemir emphasized that the HDP will run this election campaign with the strength of free women and added: “When I look at the enthusiasm showed by the crowd, I have no doubts about the final result”. 

Women will make themselves heard at the elections

Taşdemir, who started to talk in Kurdish, reminded that since 2014 the country and Kurds  have been going through very difficult times, first with the attitude towards İmralı and then with the cities burned down in Kurdistan. 

“The AKP-MHP alliance, - she said - attack directly the Kurdish people”. Taşdemir, who attended the meeting of Kurdish parties in Amed on Friday, said: “A very big step was taken in Amed” and stressed that “Demirtaş, who struggles to establish a democratic country, is not only a candidate for Kurdish people but also for all the oppressed”.

Taşdemir pointed out that this choice is “a choice to make sure the memory of our youth and our people who lost their lives in the massacre of Taybet, Roboski, Ceylan Forearm, Suruç and Ankara, are not forgotten”. 

Taşdemir also underlined that these elections “are especially important for women, because on 24 June we will have the chance to end the gender-biased and hatred policies carried out by the AKP. They want to make violence against women permanent. - she said - Women will not allow it. We are not afraid of the AKP. Women have been the strongest forces of democracy struggle throughout history”.

Following Taşdemir's speech, the HDP shared with the crowd the campaign materials, like music, slogans and posters. 

Then it was the turn of HDP Co-Chair Sezai Temelli to take the stage. Temelli underlined that “Turkey today is undergoing a serious economic crisis and for this reason the 24 June elections can be turned into a great opportunity to hit the AKP-MHP alliance”. 

Temelli: Our candidate chosen by the people

Temelli added: “The HDP have decided their Presidential candidate together with the people and not in some hotel rooms. Demirtaş was chosen and he is our strength”. 

Temelli echoing the message the same Demirtaş had sent to the HDP on Friday, said that “we will tour the country, telling people about the possibility to have a new life, a new Turkey. This possibility is provided by the HDP. We propose democracy and peace instead of war and dictatorship”. 

Temelli added: “Today we begin our campaign. We are coming to replace the existing system. Let’s us be clear: the Kurdish issue cannot be solved until the democracy issue in Turkey is solved".

Temelli ended his speech by ensuring people that “the HDP will work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to secure a much stronger position in Parliament. We will tour the country talking and promoting peace and democracy”. 

The event ended with the reading of the message Demirtaş had sent from Edirne Prison. The crowded cheered and chanted: “We will win!”.