Some AKP members may be behind the coup attempt: HDP

Rifat Başaran - ANKARA

AFP photo

Some former and current members of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) might have supported the failed coup attempt on July 15, the co-leader of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) has said, suggesting that such a big mutiny could not have occurred without political backing.

“This is not a prediction, it is based half on confirmed information and half on estimation. Some from the AKP, either former or current members may have supported the attempt,” HDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş told daily Hürriyet in an interview on July 24. 

“It’s interesting that political groups behind these plotters have not yet been identified. But there’s a very high possibility that the plotters received support from a powerful group within the AKP,” Demirtaş said, adding that a parliamentary probe into the coup attempt could reveal unknown details about the move’s political wing. 

“No coup could ever be realized without political support,” he stressed.


‘Gov’t could further pressurize opposition’ 

Meanwhile, the HDP co-chair said the authorities given to the government after the declaration of the state of emergency could well be used as another opportunity to crack down on the opposition, vowing to continue “fighting against both the coup plotters and the AKP.” 
“There is a third option: Neither coup nor dictatorship. Our option is democracy. We will focus on that,” Demirtaş said, adding that his party would hold a series of public rallies under the theme of “neither coup nor dictatorship.”


Delegations to İmrali, Kandil

Regarding the ongoing armed conflict in Turkey’s southeast between the security forces and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Demirtaş suggested that such wars “keep alive the ground for such coup attempts.” 

“We should find a way to stop this. We can meet with all government officials if necessary. We can also send delegations to İmrali and Kandil,” he said, signaling possible openness to a renewed peace process.

Drawing attention to the fact that the PKK has largely ceased its activities in the southeast in the wake of the July 15 coup attempt, Demirtaş said this “should have a meaning.” 

“We are also trying to understand this, but a new opportunity has emerged for Turkey. The HDP will exert great effort by highlighting that we must first protect our internal peace,” he added.  


‘Danger is still there’

Social peace remains in danger in Turkey as the AKP has failed to embrace non-AKP voters, Alevis and Kurds, Demirtaş stated, complaining that government officials have not met with HDP officials in the aftermath of the coup attempt.

“They are squandering this opportunity by not meeting with the HDP, by upsetting the Kurds and Alevis, ignoring their anxieties and not seeing their anti-coup stances. This keeps Turkey vulnerable,” he said.


‘EU has responsibility’

Demirtaş also criticized the EU for failing to flag up human rights violations in Turkey because of the recent migrant deal between Brussels and Ankara.  

“The EU has a subjective responsibility for Turkey’s coup process. They see Turkey’s internal problems as only Turkey’s problem. But this human rights and democracy problem is also the EU’s problem. Turkey is a candidate to join the EU but they have remained silent for a long time. They also remained silent when Kurdish cities were burned and destroyed,” he said, suggesting that the EU did nothing while “conditions for a coup attempt” were developing in Turkey. 

“For this reason, some European leaders and the EU have indirect responsibility. I don’t see any clearness in their stance. They should take a clear stance against the coup,” Demirtaş added.