Protests against the 4 November Coup against HDP

The Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) organised multiple actions and protested the 4 November Coup staged in 2016. During the actions, the HDP conveyed the message that AKP-MHP power is coming to an end, while the HDP is growing with resistance.

AMED

The HDP Amed Provincial Organisation held a press conference at Hazal Park in Yenişehir district. The press conference was participated by a large number of citizens as well as HDP Amed Deputy Remziye Tosun, administrators of the HDP Amed provincial and district organisations, vice co-chair of the Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) Beycan Taşkıran, and representatives of NGOs.

Speaking here, Co-chair of the HDP Amed Provincial Organisation Zeyyat Ceylan said the following:

“The main goal of the 4 November Coup was to clamp down on democratic politics, impose an isolation on the whole society, to entirely liquidate democratic politics through unlawful operations and to eliminate the political demands of the peoples, such as peace, democracy and equality. The main reasons for such operations that have been carried out by different subjects under various pretenses in every period is our organised objection against fascism in Turkey and the organised power of the HDP as the most effective social and political force to build a common, equal and free life for the peoples of Turkey.

On 24 July 2015, the peace process ended, and the Turkish state began to implement the conflict and collapse plan. Following the AKP president Erdoğan’s remarks on 28 July 2015, saying “their parliamentary immunity should be lifted” and “they should pay the price”, tens of thousands of HDP members were taken into custody, thousands of our administrators, mayors and members were imprisoned or exiled within the scope of political genocide operations. The 4 November coup also paved the way for the 19 August Trustee Coup, Kobane Trial and closure case against our party. They intended to take revenge on the HDP and the people due to their defeat in 7 June elections. Those who could not confront the HDP in a democratic political field seek to suppress the HDP by means of persecution, pressure, and judiciary and security means, in vain. We will follow our path with determination.”

The government is coming to an end in the political field, said Ceylan, and continued, “When we were taken into custody or imprisoned, when our party offices and demonstrations were bombed, and when our elected mayors were deposed, we said ‘fascism will collapse, but not the HDP’. While those insisting on deadlocks have been liquidated, our party is standing tall and continues to be the hope for the peoples of Turkey. Today, as in the past, it is a duty for us to build the broadest social-political struggle line against the AKP-MHP bloc which tries to extend its power through unlawful security policies, wars, and operations to liquidate democratic politics.

Ceylan vowed that they will continue their political and organisational struggle to frustrate these attacks by enhancing the resistance against annihilation attacks which target democratic politics and by building an alliance for democracy.

URFA

The HDP Urfa Provincial Organisation held a press conference in the party office. Speaking at the press conference here, Ziya Çalışkan, Provincial Co-chair of the HDP, recorded that they condemn the political coup against their party in the person of deputies who were elected thanks to the people’s selfless efforts, will and votes. He said, “5 years after the 4 November political coup, we say once again that we will never surrender to persecution and liquidation operations against democratic politics. We vow to be determined defenders of our people’s struggle for peace, democracy and freedom.”

MARDİN

The HDP members made press statements in Artuklu, Kızıltepe, Nusaybin, Midyat, Savur, Dargeçit, Ömerli, Derik and Mazıdağı districts of Mardin in protest at the 4 November Coup. In Artuklu, party members gathered in front of the HDP Provincial Organisation office and displayed a banner reading “No to political coups”, chanting the slogan “Pressures cannot intimidate us”.

Reading the statement, Co-chair of the HDP Artuklu District Organisation, Bekir Dağ, noted that the HDP has been resisting the attacks, and they will keep their struggle going.

Co-chair of the HDP Mardin Provincial Organisation Perihan Ağaoğlu expressed that they will resist against political coups, and the people’s resistance frustrate the attacks.

ŞIRNAK

In İdil district of Şırnak, a press statement was made in front of the party office with the participation of a large number of people. Police forces blockaded the party office before the event. Reading the statement, Sabuha Akdağ, co-chair of the HDP Şırnak Provincial Organisation, stressed that the HDP has been struggling despite all the pressures.