Venice Commission visits HDP in Ankara

Venice Commission headed by Herdis Kjerulf Thorgeirsdottir has visited the HDP headquarters in Ankara.

Venice Commission has visited the HDP headquarters in Ankara.

The Venice Commission headed by Herdis Kjerulf Thorgeirsdottir was welcomed by recently released HDP Group Deputy Chair İdris Baluken, Mardin MP Mithat Sancar and Amed MP Sibel Yiğitalp.

Thorgeirsdottir said the agenda of their visit was the restriction of press freedom and freedom of expression during the State of Emergency (OHAL).

Speaking here, Baluken said: "It is discussed intensely that the currently discussed constitutional amendment will not answer the needs but it will on the contrary escalate the repression with regard to freedom of expression. Two co-chairs and 10 deputies of the third party in the parliament, some 70 mayors, thousands of administrators and members of our party are in jail. Dozens of media institutions have been shut down, their offices were sealed and assets were confiscated. Dozens of journalists are behind bars."

Baluken stressed that democratic and free conditions must be secured and these arrests which constrain democratic politics must be ended immediately. He added that this must also ensure the formation of the ground needed for a legitimate and participatory execution of the referendum process.

The meeting later resumed closed to the press.