HDP co-chair rebukes claims of escape

“I haven’t fled, I am here,” she said from the southeastern province of Batman on May 22.  

“I had an engagement in Germany. I arrived in Batman, with a connecting flight in Istanbul. The claims ‘she fled’ are total vileness. I will give the necessary response,” said Yüksekdağ, adding that her program in Germany was scheduled before voting on the amendment, which put her and many other lawmakers from her party on the hot seat as they could face prosecution on various charges.

“With whatever instrument they appear in front of us, we will stand by our people. They can’t stand the crowd that comes to listen to co-chairs in Batman. They want to put the deputies of the people who got their [right to] represent from you in jail by lifting their immunities. These policies are not moral and justified. We will continue to resist through democratic means,” Yüksekdağ said.

“The temporary amendment to the constitution, under the guise of lifting immunities, is a blow to Turkish democracy and is leading the country into a dark future. They said fabricated reports about our MPs are aimed at further thickening the clouds looming over the country instead of bringing light to the darkness,” the HDP said in a written statement on May 20.