Under the slogan "Let's resist and free ourselves with the Newroz fire", the Kurdish New Year festival Newroz is celebrated in numerous cities in northern Kurdistan and Turkey today. In the western Turkish city of Tekirdağ, police prevented families with children from passing through security checks to the event site in the Ergene district. Those affected did not let their spirits be dampened and gathered outside the site to celebrate spring.

After a minute of silence, HDP deputy Züleyha Gülüm appeared as a speaker. In her speech, the politician addressed the ban on the HDP and Turkey's withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention. On Saturday night, the Turkish government left the international convention on the protection of women from violence by presidential decree with immediate effect. Gülüm called the move a "total loss of reason". Commenting on the looming HDP ban, she said, "We're not a signboard party, we're the party of the people." Afterwards, there were joint dances around the Newroz fire to live music.

Among others, Gülüm's parliamentary group colleague Oya Ersoy as well as Engin Güleser and Ömer Faruk from the HDP party council took part in a celebration in Çanakkale. Despite bad weather, the mood was dazzling, and the traditional fire was lit by Ersoy. After extensive dancing, the event site was cleaned together by numerous participants before people headed home.

Iğdır

Kurds, Turks, Karapapaks and Azerbaijanis celebrated Newroz together in the multicultural Iğdır city. HDP deputy Dilan Dirayet Taşdemir sang the Newroz song after a speech and opened the celebrations. The gathering was briefly overshadowed by police when they tried to arrest three youths. After loud protests from the crowd, the young men had to be released.

In Çorum, this year's Newroz was organized by the local Democracy Platform. The celebration took place in the park named after the folk singer Aşık Mahzuni Şerif in the city center. In his speech, trade unionist Emrah Azapçı, who is currently also the spokesman of the local branch of the leftist Confederation of Public Service Unions (KESK), addressed the state's repressive policies, which are felt in every aspect of life. At the same time, Azapçı warned of the consequences of a possible party ban for the HDP for trade unions and professional associations: "Closing a party like the HDP means putting new chains on all of us. The Kurdish question, which is the main problem in Turkey, can only be solved through the solidarity of all peoples, working people and the forces of democracy. Newroz is the best opportunity to unite and fight together,” he said.