Main opposition members visit HDP’s ‘justice watch’ in Istanbul

ISTANBUL – Doğan News Agency

A committee from the main opposition Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) Istanbul provincial office visited the Peoples’ Democratic Party’s (HDP) “conscience and justice watch” in Istanbul’s Kadıköy district on Aug. 2. 

The CHP members, including the party’s Istanbul provincial head Cemal Canpolat and Istanbul lawmaker Sezgin Tanrıkulu, came to the Kadıköy’s Yoğurtçu Park at around noon. The HDP started its watch at the park under tight security measures on Aug. 1 after spending a week in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır.

The HDP deputies welcomed the CHP committee at the entrance of the park. The CHP committee first handed flowers they brought with them to the HDP deputies and were then accepted into the park by police. 

“We see that the country needs justice and freedom once again. The demand for justice has become a common demand of all of our citizens. This foundation is our common ground,” said Canpolat.

“We’ll be in a struggle to extend this solidarity. These problems cannot be solved with blood and tears. We need to go through a reconciliation process for peace, democracy, and solidarity in the period that our country is going through. Today we are here to support the justice and conscience watch held by our friends. We support this act,” he added. 

For his part, CHP deputy Tanrıkulu said Turkey is “going through its toughest period ever in the history.” 
He also touched on the CHP’s 25-day “justice march” from Ankara to Istanbul. “In that march, we were in solidarity with all of Turkey’s democratic forces. Today we are here to show the same solidarity,” he said.

Following the CHP members’ speeches, HDP deputy Filiz Kerestecioğlu thanked them for their visit. 

“This solidarity is important. Because of this, dissident individuals and people wanting democracy and peace should never let go of each other’s hands. To live in a beautiful Turkey, we need to stick together,” Kerestecioğlu said.

Prior to the CHP committee’s visit, HDP Mardin lawmaker Mithat Sancar also made a press statement at the park in which he said justice in Turkey had “completely collapsed.”

“We’ll not explain at length the state justice is in and how it has collapsed. But there are a number of issues that inform us regarding this collapse. Here, one year ago, university student Şule İdil Dere died after being trapped under an Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality truck. One year has passed since then but what has been done by the authorities? Nothing. Why? Because this governance protects the ones responsible,” Sancar said.

He also touched upon the two Turkish educators currently on hunger strike for over 100 days in protest at being dismissed from their posts through state of emergency decrees.  

“Such an injustice wheel has started to turn that they have locked up Nuriye [Gülmen] and Semih [Özakça] in prison. And they continue to torture them in prison,” Sancar added.