The HDP reacted to the German Foreign Ministry's statement regarding the closure case against the HDP.

In a statement the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs had asked the HDP to draw a line between the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the party. The EU deems the PKK as a “terrorist organization”.

Party’s co-chairs Pervin Buldan and Mithad Sancar sent a letter to the German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas over the issue.

'The discourse is the same as that of the Turkish government'

The letter said that the phrase "the HDP should distance itself from the PKK" is a political rhetoric used by the AKP-MHP government to criminalize the HDP.

The letter added that this form of expression contradicts the values ​​of the European Union and the Council of Europe concerning political organization and freedom of expression. The allegations against the HDP have no legal basis.

The letter recalled that previous parties, such as HEP, DEP, ÖZDEP, HADEP and DTP were closed for the same reasons given to close the HDP, and that the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Turkey was violating Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

The letter also requested information from the German Foreign Ministry about the concrete and legal bases that would enable them to make this call.

The letter recalled the rulings of the ECHR, the statements of the European Council Parliamentary Assembly and the European Parliament, the reports of the Venice Commission and many other international organizations. The letter underlined that the accusations and oppressive practices against the HDP are completely unfounded.

The letter asked the German Foreign Ministry to reconsider the issue within this framework.