Parliament’s second largest opposition party, HDP, is scheduled to hold its 3rd Ordinary Grand Congress in Ankara on Sunday. Its co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş and ex-co-chair Figen Yüksekdağ are in since November, 2016.
Ahead of HDP’s Congress, detention warrant has been issued for HDP Co-chair Serpil Kemalbay. Also, a large number of people including HDK Co-spokesperson Prof. Dr. Onur Hamzaoğlu have been detained in an operation launched against HDK constituents.Police raided home of HDK Co-spokesperson Gülistan Koçyiğit in Menemen, İzmir.
It was stated that Koçyiğit wasn't at home and her husband was informed that there are detention warrants issued by Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office for 12 people including Koçyiğit. Technical devices such as computer and cell phone were seized during the search.
In addition to Onur Hamzaoğlu, Revolutionist Party Chair Musa Piroğlu, Socialist Solidarity Platform Co-spokesperson Kezban Konukçu, Left Green Party Co-chairs Naci Sönmez and Eylem Tuncaeli, Sociality Party of the Oppressed (ESP) Deputy Chair and Socialist Women's Assembly Spokesperson Fadime Çelebi, Socialist Refoundation Party (SYKP) Co-chair Tülay Hatimoğulları, Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Party Assembly member Orhan Çelebi and Federation of Socialist Youth Association (SGDF) member Ozancan Sarı were detained in home raids.
Democratic Party Chair Musa Piroğlu was released after his deposition in Kadıköy, İstanbul.
Warrants were issued by Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office for 17 people and they were suspected "to be member of the terrorist organisation PKK/KCK for attempting to take people to the streets under the pretext of protesting Operation Olive Branch via social media".
HDP party spokesperson Ayhan Bilgen told the Evrensel Daily that the detentions were politically motivated and aimed at preventing the party congress from taking place. Noting that similar efforts were made in the past, Bilgen said: “This will not result in submission. To the contrary, it will lead to the standing up for the congress process with more determination.”
11 HDP deputies, including the party’s co-chairs Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ, 1.473 members of HDP and Democratic Regions Party (DBP) have been arrested and also the administration of 63 municipalities has been seized since failed coup attempt on July 15, 2016. (EVRENSEL DAILY)
Bülent Falakaoğlu
Hakkı Özdal
