We Warn the Government Once Again: Ensure Our Safety During the Local Election Campaign

Yesterday, following Peoples’ Democratic Party’s (HDP) Aksaray district election office opening, a fascist, violent attack has taken place. HDP buses have been destroyed by the rocks thrown by a group of assailants. The group included National Movement Party (MHP) members in it as well.

Within these HDP buses, HDP’s co-chair Sebahat Tuncel, MP Levent Tuzel and other HDP executives were subjected to this assault.

This act of violence marks the third within this week following the ones that targeted HDP election offices in Izmir’s Dikili and Urla provinces. This time, the police was seen in cooperation with the assailants too; by neglecting the necessary safety measures that should have been taken and letting the assailants all the way up to our buses.

We warn the government and the Minister of Interior once again. It is the government’s duty to obstruct these acts of violence that target HDP and aim to pull our party towards a physical confrontation with these assailants. The negligence of the police force further encourages the attacks against our party and will result in a huge controversy over the safety and integrity of the elections.

It is the duty of the government to create a democratic and safe environment for all political parties to campaign. The negligence of the police explains the extent of these acts of violence. The police force should take all the necessary precautions against such acts from now on. If not, HDP will continue to campaign under the protection of the security units the party will organize itself.

HDP is determined to take the necessary legal actions to claim the loss the party has been subjected to due to these attacks and take its election security related concerns to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). HDP will be demanding that OSCE monitor the security of the elections in Turkey.

HDP will not tolerate any attempts to sabotage its campaign or the democratic process in Turkey. We will stand against any and all attempts to obstruct or sabotage our campaign. We will abide by any forms of obstruction against any political party’s right to campaign in this country.

The democratic and egalitarian political alternative HDP presents and advocates for across Turkey has disturbed the racist advocates against the peace process in Turkey. We are aware.  For that reason, we will continue to advocate for peace, democracy and equality across Turkey without a doubt.