TURKEY: Chief prosecutor files lawsuit to close People’s Democratic Party (HDP)

ANKARA – Turkey’s chief prosecutor Bekir Şahin has filed a lawsuit with the Constitutional Court to close the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP). The charges state that HDP executives and members have sought, through their statements and actions, to destroy and eliminate the indivisible unity of the state and nation.

Turkey’s chief prosecutor Bekir Şahin stated the following in a statement:

“Since it is clear that the leaders and members of the Peoples’ Democratic Party are acting in an undemocratic way and do not accept the universally accepted rule of law, by working in conjunction with the terrorist organization PKK and its affiliated organizations, and by acting as an extension of that organization, they aim to destroy and eliminate the indivisible unity of the state and nation, and therefore the closure of the concerning political party is requested from the Constitutional Court.”

Earlier today HDP Member of Parliament Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu’s immunity was revoked after he was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison on the grounds that he had retweeted a social media call for peace.

Following the decision, Gergerlioğlu said, “I will resist the coup, the will of the nation cannot be trampled. It is not a crime to want peace.”

Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu vekilimizdir! Bu hukuksuz kararını tanımıyoruz. #GergerlioğluYalnızDeğildir https://t.co/B53F2QVtF6

— HDP (@HDPgenelmerkezi) March 17, 2021

After the vote in parliament, HDP and CHP deputies protested the decision in the National Assembly by hitting their tables with their hands and by shouting slogans “We will not remain silent, we are not afraid, we will not obey”.

HDP ve Gergerlioğlu halkı ve hakkı yalnız bırakmayacak, meclis halkın iradesidir#GergerlioğluYalnızDeğildir https://t.co/13vcpYbTd5

— Kino Nahiro (@KNahiro) March 17, 2021