Former HDP co-chair accuses gov't of committing 'political massacre' against party
Former HDP co-leader Figen Yüksekdağ has said that the government is "committing political massacre" against the party with its appointment of trustees to replace HDP's elected mayors in southeastern cities and districts. Yüksekdağ also said that the government's move is a "coup against equal women representation" as the HDP splits all its major posts, including those of municipal mayors, between a man and a woman to promote gender equality.
Duvar English
The Turkish government is committing “political massacre” against the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), said Figen Yüksekdağ, the imprisoned former co-chair of the party, at a hearing on Dec. 24.
“The political massacre operations against my party are continuing. The seizure of the HDP municipalities means undertaking a coup against equal women representation. And the political power is undertaking a coup against the will of the women,” Yüksekdağ said.
Indicating that the government has in practice abolished the right to stand for election, Yüksekdağ said: “We are faced with an understanding which is demolishing all the given rules completely.”
She said that the authorities initially approve a mayor candidate's credentials and let them put forward their candidacy, but when the relevant candidate wins the election, the government seizes their election certificate.
The former HDP co-chair was referring to the recent crackdown on mayors from the party since municipal elections in March. The government accuses the HDP of having links to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), leading to prosecutions of thousands of its members and some leaders. The HDP denies such links.
Ankara has appointed acting mayors to 31 HDP municipalities in southeastern cities and districts since March elections, according to the HDP, and 23 of the HDP’s co-mayors are currently jailed pending trial.
The HDP governs many cities in the southeast of Turkey and splits all its major posts, including those of municipal mayors, between a man and a woman to promote gender equality.
Yüksekdağ became HDP's co-leader in 2014, alongside male co-leader Selahattin Demirtaş. She and Demirtaş were arrested in November of 2016 on terrorism charges and have been held in jail ever since.
On Dec. 24, Yüksekdağ went on trial at the Ankara 16th Heavy Penal Court, to which she joined through the audio-visual information system (SEGBİS) as she is currently incarcerated at the Kandıra F-Type Prison in the western province of Kocaeli.
The Ankara court ruled for the continuation of Yüksekdağ's arrest. The next hearing of the case will take place on March 10, 2020.