As voting began yesterday morning in Stockholm for the presidential and parliamentary elections of Turkey on June 24, Swedish politicians are also visiting the tent HDP set up in front of the voting station, Kista Fair, and giving messages of solidarity.

Visiting the HDP tent, Left Party Leader Jonas Sjöstedt made a speech and underlined that Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan imprisons representatives of political parties, oppresses Kurds and other minorities and silences the media in order to eliminate democracy.

Remarking that HDP does not only defend the rights of Kurds, Assyrians, Syriacs and other minorities but also aims to democratize Turkey, Sjöstedt said all peoples will be freed should democracy be achieved in the country.

Pointing out the “honorable stand” of HDP presidential candidate Selahattin Demirtaş who has been jailed for 1,5 years, Sjöstedt said; “In democratic countries, party leaders, deputies and politicians do not get arrested. Demirtaş and other HDP members were imprisoned because they tell the truths and defend peace and democracy. Their ongoing imprisonment shows the weakness of the Turkish state and Erdoğan.”

Sjöstedt continued; “We know that thousands of HDP members are being held in jail today on the basis of baseless accusations. Six million people in Turkey are voting for the HDP. These people will not be intimidated and they will vote for HDP and Demirtaş despite all the pressures and provocations.”

Left Party Leader Jonas Sjöstedt called on all the voters in Sweden to come to the ballots at the fair and vote for HDP and Demirtaş.

Left Party MP Daniel Riazat also visited the HDP tent set up in front of the fair. Riazat said he believed the HDP will achieve a great success and overcome the threshold on June 24. He noted that the Swedish Left Party will send three deputies to Turkey to observe the elections on site.