To all democratic forces
Erdoğan’s attacks on democracy are intensifying — and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) are key targets in the campaign to eradicate political opposition.
Last week, the Turkish government stripped HDP member of parliament Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu of his parliamentary immunity and sentenced him to more than 1 year in prison for a social media post from 5 years ago.
Gergerlioğlu has led a courageous campaign against the violation of human rights in Turkey, including his work to bring cases of police brutality against women to parliament. It is for this courage that Gergerlioğlu stands accused of “fostering terrorist actions” — the latest in a long series of cases that target opponents of Erdoğan’s AKP. Thousands of dissidents are currently imprisoned for daring to speak out against Erdoğan regime and to defend the rights of the Kurdish people.
Now, a case has been filed in Turkey’s Constitutional Court to ban the HDP party all together. Make no mistake: the elimination of the HDP would mark the final step toward a dictatorship in Turkey.
The time has come to defend the HDP and resist the Erdoğan dictatorship. The international community has remained all too quiet about the persecution of the AKP’s opponents. The European Union has proved more interested in accommodating the Erdoğan regime than defending democratic institutions in Turkey. Enough is enough.
We are calling on democratic forces around the world to stand up for the HDP and resist the brutality, illegality, and criminality of the Erdoğan regime.
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