Nobody has security of life and property in Turkey: CHP head

ADANA

Not one citizen in Turkey has security of life and property, main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has said, addressing a crowd in the southern province of Adana on Dec. 30.

Blasting the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) for the ongoing crackdown under the state of emergency imposed after the July 2016 coup attempt, Kılıçdaroğlu said Turkey is “no longer democracy.”

“If members of parliament are imprisoned in a country, there’s no democracy there. If journalists are imprisoned, there’s no democracy there. If civic leaders are imprisoned, there’s no democracy there,” Kılıçdaroğlu said, addressing the crowd at the party’s provincial congress.

He also blasted the government’s growing political grip on the judicial system in Turkey.

“If it is a political entity and not judges who make legal decisions, it means there is no safety of life and property in the country,” the CHP leader said.