MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

Amed- On March 17, Bekir Sahin, the chief public prosecutor of the Supreme Court of Appeals, filed a case with the Constitutional Court against the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) demanding the closure of the party. The Turkish Constitutional Court will today begin to examine the case demanding the closure of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP). We talked to HDP Amed MPs Semra Güzel and Remziye Tosun about the closure case opened against the HDP.

If the Turkish Constitutional Court accepts the indictment prepared against the party, the court will send the indictment to the HDP for the party’s preliminary defense. The party will be able to apply to the Supreme Court for demanding an extension of the time limit for the preliminary defense. After the HDP submits its preliminary defense, Bekir Sahin, the chief public prosecutor of the Supreme Court of Appeals, will present his opinions as to the accusations. And his opinions will be sent to the HDP.

“They are afraid of the HDP's stance”

HDP Amed MP Selma Güzel pointed out that the attacks against their party have been carried out since the general elections held on June 7, 2015, and that the ruling party is afraid of the HDP's ideology and stance. Emphasizing that the HDP is the only party presenting all people from segments, Semra Güzel highlighted that the HDP was founded by peoples’ struggle.

“Today, HDP is a women's party having women’s ideology. They (the ruling party) are afraid the most of this ideology. They know very well that youth is a dynamic group and that young people and women will dissolve them. Those who take to the streets to protest these unlawful and injustice practices are women and young people. This collective power and its impact scare them. Many people have been detained and put behind bars but they see that no matter how much they criminalize people, these people will never leave the HDP. The people always show the ruling party that they have not lost their faith in the HDP.”

“They do this to cover the current crisis in the country”

“The economic crisis in the country is obvious. There is a social crisis in every field in the country because of the policies of the government. They attack us because they cannot find a solution to the crisis. They attack the opponents to cover that they have lost.”

The prepared indictment is not legal but political”

Semra Güzel talked about the details of the closure case and she said, “When we look at the prepared indictment, we see that the case is not a legal but political case. In the indictment, the prosecutor demanded a political ban for more than 600 HDP officials and members, including those who lost their lives. This indictment is an indictment prepared by the government. They want to close HDP by using instructional methods. The case is actually an attack against the Kurdish people and their politics. Today, a large dynamic within the HDP represents Kurds. They want to eliminate the Kurds from democratic politics. They cannot close the will of the people by closing the HDP. Millions of people will struggle against it. Democratic organizations and opponents are the main targets. They want to be one-party by closing other parties. We are not the only target. Millions of people will stand by their votes.”

 

“Even Dates Are Specially Chosen”

HDP Amed MP Remziye Tosun

 

HDP Amed MP Remziye Tosun mentioned Turkey’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention, the case opened against Saturday Mothers and the removal of HDP MP Gergerlioğlu's status.

“What is happening now is actually a continuation of a concept that began after the 2014 process. They try to intimidate people by stripping HDP Kocaeli MP Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu of his parliamentary seat, filing a case with the Constitutional Court against the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) demanding the closure of the party, opening a criminal case against Saturday Mothers, withdrawing from the Istanbul Convention, detaining people and putting people behind bars.  

“The Turkish Constitutional Court will begin to examine the case demanding the closure of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) today, on March 31. March 31 is actually the anniversary of the elections that shook the AKP's power. When it comes to Kurds, even dates are specially chosen. The ruling party is trying to take revenge on its losses during the local elections held on March 31, 2014, by opening a closure case against the HDP. In this sense, this attempt to close our party actually shows the ruling party’s helplessness and despair. The peoples no longer accept repressive practices and show a stronger resistance against unlawfulness. We can see their reactions in the streets. Our people gave a clear answer to these practices during the protests held on March 8 and Newroz celebrations. HDP is a movement, an               ideology, it cannot be closed down.”