The Erdogan regime is determined in maintaining its authoritarian rule targeting our municipalities even amid Corona outbreak. This morning, Silvan, Ergani, Eğil, Yenişehir and Batman municipality have been blockaded and Silvan, Ergani, Eğil, Lice and Batman co-mayors detained.
After the latest crackdown on our municipalities co-chair Mithat Sancar held a press conference at our headquarters.
In his speech Sancar said briefly following:
As the whole world searches for a method to fight COVID-19, Erdoğan’s government is seeking something completely different. Today, the municipalities of Batman, Silvan, Lice, Ergani and Eğil have been blockaded from the early hours of the morning, and our co-mayors have been detained.
We demand transparency, Erdoğan’s government chooses darkness, we say democratic participation, Erdoğan’s government prefers authoritarianism and arbitrariness.
The more we call for public health, the more the government attacks the people, ignores the will of the people, and sets out to eliminate their will - instead of eliminating the condition that threatens the health of the people.
The appointment of trustees to the municipalities does not only concern Batman, Silvan, Ergani and Lice. This is not only the HDP’s problem. This is about Turkey’s future. Therefore, we expect everyone to stand against the government’s policy of appointing trustees/kayyım instead of democratically elected representatives of the people.
Erdoğan’s government is opportunistic; it is trying to use the Corona epidemic as an opportunity to consolidate its power. Neither the people of this country nor humanity as a whole will forget how the AKP is now trying to take advantage of this global threat.
23 March 2020