Over 22 thousand HDP members arrested since 2015

Since 2015, 22,321 HDP members have been arrested in Turkey and at least 10,000 are in prison. HDP MP Sezai Temelli explains that the HDP is nonetheless resolutely clinging to its perspective.

Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Van deputy Sezai Temelli said, "We are now clearly revealing the name of the regime that has been consolidated since 2015: Fascism," and stated that opposition parties and social opposition other than HDP should not remain silent.

According to the data prepared by the Legal Commission of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), 22,321 HDP members were detained from June 24, 2015 to September 25, 2020. The number of those imprisoned only in the first two years reached 3,647. According to the report of the HDP Local Administrations Commission, HDP won 65 municipalities but has currently only 6 municipalities left. Trustees were appointed to 48 municipalities, three of which are metropolitan municipalities. 84 municipal council members and 9 provincial general assembly members were dismissed. Of the 37 co-mayors detained, 18 are still under arrest.

Temelli remarked that the AKP-MHP bloc has been trying to suppress or even destroy the social opposition for 5 years and attacked the working class, the women's movement and its achievements, and particularly the HDP, which is the common point of all. He said the AKP-MHP bloc is aware that HDP is the vanguard of the forces of democracy.

“We are now clearly exposing the name of the regime that has been consolidated since 2015: fascism,” said Temelli and continued: “The detentions and arrests that started with the “Collapse Plan” and were made under the pretext of the Kobanê investigation show that the HDP idea is a hope for the people.”

OPPOSITION OUTSIDE THE HDP SHOULD RAISE A VOICE

Temelli recalled that 11 HDP deputies were behind bars, as well as 10 thousand out of approximately 22 thousand HDP members, administrators and elected members who were detained since 2015.

The HDP deputy continued: "More than 100 municipalities won by our party have been seized. HDP will of course resist, but if we want to get rid of this fascist power, the social opposition, especially other opposition parties should not remain silent. If there is a regime that legitimizes torture and a social opposition that does not raise its voice against it, fascism goes so far that Kurdish villagers are thrown from a helicopter.

Therefore, this government, which continues its 100-year-old monist, assimilationist state tradition and is troubled by its own survival, chose Kurdish hostility as a remedy. It has been pursuing this policy for five years. The government should know, however, that the HDP is resolutely sticking to its perspective. What has been done to us to date, and the political operations that will follow, will not make us kneel down, they will not divert the HDP from its path.”