Four detained over vote rigging in Suruç in Turkey's southeast

ŞANLIURFA

Four people have been detained on June 24 over an alleged vote rigging in the Suruç district of the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa, state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

The detentions came amid wide spread allegations regarding election safety issues and vote rigging in the Suruç district.

“Four people, who attempted to engage in vote rigging, were apprehended with voting papers on them and were detained,” the Şanlıurfa provincial public prosecutor said in a statement.

“The board has taken necessary initiatives to launch administrative and judicial processes regarding alleged safety concerns at certain polling stations in Suruç,” the Supreme Election Board (YSK) head Sadi Güven said earlier.

“We have received complaints particularly from the Şanlıurfa province. We have three lawmakers in the province and those allegations must be taken seriously,” CHP deputy leader Bülent Tezcan said during a press conference in Ankara on June 24.

Tezcan claimed a bulk voting incident took place at a polling station in Şanlıurfa’s Suruç district. He also said some 100 pre-sealed votes were cast in a ballot box in the province’s Eyyübiye district.

The CHP deputy leader alleged election observers were intimidated and even attacked, thus preventing them from their jobs in a number of villages in Şanlıurfa.

Furthermore, CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said earlier on June 24 that the voting process had generally continued smoothly across the country, but they received “complaints,” particularly from some eastern and southeastern regions regarding voting irregularities.

“We have officials from the CHP on the field observing the voting process. Our lawmakers are trying to do their best to resolve any potential problems,” Kılıçdaroğlu said.

The opposition leader called on election officials to do their jobs properly. “I want to remind them that they are civil servants, not the servant of a political party,” he said.

“Nothing should cast a shadow over the voting process,” the CHP leader said.