MHP leader reiterates call for closure of HDP

ANKARA

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli on March 2 reiterated his call for the closure of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP).

He also urged the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and İYİ (Good) Party to “clarify” their positions for the summary of proceedings prepared to lift the immunity of HDP MPs.

“If Turkey is a state of law, the closure of the HDP is emergency and crucial,” he said, addressing the MHP’s parliamentary group meeting.

“In addition, one should not allow them to operate again under another name, for example, even under the umbrella of a front terrorist formation called the Party of Democratic Regions,” Bahçeli stated.

It is a very “important and expected” development that the Supreme Court of Appeals initiates an investigation into the HDP, Bahçeli said, noting that the closure of political parties will be finalized by the Constitutional Court in a lawsuit to be filed by the Court of Cassation.

Every political party should clarify its position on the recent summary of proceedings prepared to lift the HDP lawmakers’ immunity, he said, stressing that every political party should reveal its attitude on the issue.

“Is the CHP in for removing the immunity of the HDP lawmakers? What will be the positions of the CHP and İYİ Party,” he asked and blamed the ones supporting the HDP for “giving support” to the illegal PKK group.

He, meanwhile, undermined possible reactions from the international actors on the issue of the HDP. “It doesn’t matter what the U.S. and the EU say,” Bahçeli said.

Immunity files for 25 deputies, including HDP Co-Chair Pervin Buldan, HDP Group Deputy Chairs Meral Danış Beştaş and Hakkı Saruhan Oluç, Diyarbakır deputy Garo Paylan, Istanbul deputy Hüda Kaya, Van deputy Sezai Temelli, Mardin deputy Pero Dundar, Mersin deputy Fatma Kurtulan and İzmir deputy Serpil Kemalbay Pekgözegü, were submitted to the parliament speaker’s office last week.

The summary of proceedings was prepared for nine HDP deputies over accusations regarding the Kobane incidents in 2014. In 2014, protests that were sparked by the seizure of the Syrian town of Kobane by ISIL militants turned violent across Turkey after the YPG group in the town accused the Turkish government of being inactive against the ISIL attacks.

Last week, İYİ Party deputy chair Yavuz Ağıralioğlu said that the party will support lifting the parliamentary immunities of the HDP deputies.