HDP condemns killing of AKP politicians

ANKARA

AA Photo

The co-chairs of the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) have condemned the killing of local politicians from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Southeast Anatolia. 

The leaders of the HDP, Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ, said there can be “no legitimate reason” for the assassinations. 

“We condemn the political assassinations in the harshest way. Those who commit political murders that target the AKP’s administrators can cite no legitimate reason for [their actions],” the statement titled “We condemn political murders” released by Demirtaş and Yüksekdağ said on Oct. 11.

“Being one of the administrators of a political party can’t be a reason for anyone to be accused and targeted,” they said. 

Three politicians from the AKP have been killed by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the east and southeastern provinces of Turkey. 

PKK militants opened fire on Deryan Aktert, the AKP’s district chairman in the Dicle district of the southeastern province of Diyarbakır, while he was at his workplace on Oct. 10.       

On Oct. 9, another local AKP politician was killed by a group of PKK militants in the Özalp district of the eastern province of Van.

According to a statement from the Van Governor’s Office, Aydın Muştu, the party’s district deputy head, was shot dead after he resisted the group’s attempt to seize his minibus outside his home.

Another politician from the AKP was killed in an armed attack in the Şemdinli district of the southeastern province of Hakkari on Sept. 14.

Ahmet Budak, who was the AKP’s Hakkari candidate in the Nov. 1, 2015, elections, was killed while his son was with him, Doğan News Agency reported.

Budak was shot as he was returning home from a visit to mark the Eid al-Adha holiday with his son when unknown assailants shot him in front of his house.