The report prepared by our Commission On Election Affairs regarding the election violations at the ahead of upcoming Turkey's March 31 local elections:
Turkey has entered a period, faced with limitation of rights a bit more day by day. After the removing, the immunities of the parliamentarians, Co-chairs of HDP, deputies, party members and executives have been arrested. 95 municipalities including 3 metropolitan municipalities and 8 city municipalities that co-chaired by Democratic Regions Party’s (DBP) co-mayors which is the major component party of HDP have been seized the control by the Government. 94 elected co-mayors from DBP were arrested. As of today, 38 co-mayors have arrested or sentenced in Turkish prisons.
In the meanwhile, it is claiming that the current government has been ruling the country by the fair and democratic elections in Turkey. However, it is an argument in order to misleading public opinion and the international community.
The elections and election safety in Turkey is always mentioned as a problematic issue. However, the latest experiences from the General Elections on June 24th of 2018, the election safety are fully disappeared due to the Turkish Government’s interventions. The rules of the elections have designed directly by the government and President Erdogan. Electoral irregularities and gerrymanders, which found out by the opposition parties, could not prevent despite all efforts.
The election safety is not means only the Election Day. It means the providing fair competition and fair conditions for all the political parties. In this respect, similar to previous elections, in these upcoming elections all opportunities and chances are being used in advance of power-holder blocks, bans and restrictions against the opposition parties. An election can only be called a fair election, if its procedures from beginning to end are fair. There are many essential components to conducting a free election such as: campaigning opportunities to usage of media, neutrality of state institutions and freedom of jurisdiction. Organizing ballots, collecting election results and the declaration of those results, follow these essentials.
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As shown in previous parts of this report, replacing and merging decisions for the polling stations are undoubtedly based on subjective criteria. Despite elections have to be accomplished in a very peaceful and democratic environment, the voters will already have been facing enormous difficulties for the 31st of March 2019 election. The principles of equality and freeness -which is essential for elections in democratic countries- are threatened in Turkey. The HDP calls all democratic institutions, comrades, and international community to involve observing the elections.
To download the whole report please click here.
29 March 2019