Nearly 110 people detained in 21 cities in Turkey ahead of Turkish elections: HDP
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Ahead of the Turkish general and presidential elections on May 14, at least 110 people have been arrested on Tuesday, including members of the pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party (HDP) and its deputy co-chair, Özlem Gündüz.
Police operations against the #HDP and civil society organizations
— HDP English (@HDPenglish) April 25, 2023
Statement by our Foreign Affairs Spokespersons:#14MayElectionshttps://t.co/Pej8Wxpi47 pic.twitter.com/EOQzT6HliD
The HDP said in a statement that the police raids were carried out in the Diyarbakir (Amed) province and mostly targeted the HDP and organizations including Mezopotamya News Agency (MA), Yeni Yaşam newspaper, and the Lawyers for Freedom Association (ÖHD).
“The operations have spread to 21 cities in Turkey, while dozens of people, including journalists, politicians, lawyers, artists, and activists have been detained. The charges against the detainees are still unclear due to a confidentiality order on the investigation,” the HDP said in a statement.
Among the detained included journalists Ferhat Çelik, owner of the Mezopotamya News Agency (MA), Abdurrahman Gök, an editor at the agency, Osman Akın, managing editor of the daily Yeni Yaşam newspaper, and Kadri Esen, the publisher of Xwebûn newspaper, the only Kurdish newspaper in Turkey.
“The operation is against the elections and the will of the people. It is a clear intimidation and threat to society and to its political preferences,” the HDP said.
“It is not a coincidence that the people targeted were lawyers, who will protect the ballot boxes and fight against unlawfulness; journalists, who will inform the public, and politicians who are fighting the AKP (Justice and Development Party).”
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The arrests are seen as a move to further suppress the Kurdish vote, 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.
The HDP is planning to support the Turkish opposition and not field a presidential candidate in the elections, which could help the Kemalist-led opposition to win the elections.