Several Kurdish officials arrested in Turkey ahead of elections

The arrests of the 25 Kurdish officials have been seen as a further move towards suppressing the voice of the Kurdish population in Turkey.
A woman holds up a photo of Kurdish leader Selahattin Demirtas in a demonstration to protest against the Turkish government's policy on November 4, 2016, in Frankfurt, Germany (Photo: Boris Roessler, DPA/AFP)
A woman holds up a photo of Kurdish leader Selahattin Demirtas in a demonstration to protest against the Turkish government's policy on November 4, 2016, in Frankfurt, Germany (Photo: Boris Roessler, DPA/AFP)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Dozens of Kurdish officials of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and Democratic Regions Party (DBP) were arrested on Monday in the Suruc district of Urfa, Turkey.

The Suruc District Prosecutor's Office ordered the arrest of the officials on the claims of membership of a ‘terrorist organization’, a reference to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is listed as a terrorist organization by the Turkish government.

The HDP has always maintained that it has no connection with the PKK and is committed to peaceful politics. However, the Turkish government's accusations continue to raise concerns about the state of democracy and freedom of expression in Turkey.

The Turkish government has regularly targeted the HDP in Turkey, accusing them of supporting the PKK and thereby posing a threat to national security. Such accusations have led to the arrests of several HDP members and leaders.

The HDP has faced these accusations before, with many of its senior members, including its former co-chairs, being arrested and imprisoned in the past.

The arrests of an estimated 25 Kurdish officials is seen as a further move towards suppressing the voice of the Kurdish population in Turkey ahead of the Turkish elections that will take place on May 14, 2023.

The Kurds in Turkey are expected to play a kingmaker role in the election of the future Turkish president, with both the opposition and the Turkish ruling parties trying to attract the Kurdish vote.

Read More: Turkey's pro-Kurdish party should back the main opposition candidate: Demirtas

The arrests of political officials and supporters have also raised concerns about the limitations on political expression and the suppression of civil liberties in Turkey.

The accusations against the HDP officials continue to be a matter of political dispute and have sparked debate about the role of the Kurdish population in Turkish society.

The charges of collusion with the PKK against the HDP officials are seen by observers as a part of the ongoing crackdown on the party and its supporters by the Turkish government over the last few years

Furthermore, amidst the possibility that the HDP will be banned by Turkey’s top court, the HDP has recently announced it would contest the vote under the allied Green Left party’s ticket.

Read More: In boost to opposition, Kurdish party won't field candidate

Moreover, the HDP said it would not field a candidate for president, a sign of tacit support to the Turkish joint opposition candidate, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the Kemalist Republican People’s Party (CHP).