Intellectuals Call for Democratic Constitution

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A group of intellectuals including academics, jurists and activists have made a call to promote citizen participation on the constitution negotiations launched.

Also Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) MPs Meral Danış Beştaş, Ayhan Bilgen and Mithat Sancar have attended the press conference held in Elite World.  

Gencay Gürsay has noted that this meeting was a call for creating an initiative to open and expand the discussion on the constitution to the citizens instead of captivating it in the parliament.

“None of us give a positive response when asked whether it is appropriate to make a constitution in these days. The answer to the question whether it is possible to discuss on such an issue on these days in which all boundaries of liberties and democracy are being narrowed, is clear. However, since this matter is going to be discussed in the parliament, it is necessary that the civil society participates in the negotiations despite all impossibilities”.

The possibility of creating a legal status for the authoritarian regime

Hülya Gülbahar, has read out the joint press statement;

“Since the day the military coup constitution had been established, the society has continuously been in search for a new constitution, and constitution proposals based on different political perspectives have been brought to agenda. Within this scope, the demand for a pluralistic, egalitarian and libertarian constitution has been supported even under worst circumstances.

“The discussions on the constitution have revived and been brought to the agenda of the public opinion for time now. We are concerned that this process might be abused by anti-democratic tendencies under today’s circumstances where the clashes continue and the rights required in the present constitution have been suspended.

“It is essential that all fractions in the society show an effective will within the scope of universal democratic values in case this process helps establishing a legal status for the authoritarian regime.

“We call on everybody to gather around a joint effort in order to create the conditions for the process of making a pluralistic, egalitarian and libertarian constitution”.

The signees of the petition are as follows:

Abdülbaki Erdoğmuş, Ahmet Türk, Prof. Dr. Ayşe Erzan, Ayeşgül Devecioğlı, Doç. Dr. Ayşe Candaş, Prof. Dr. Baskın Oran, Doç. Dr. Bican Şahin, Prof. Dr. Binnaz Toprak, Doğan Bermek, Prof. Dr. Ergun Özbudun, Prof. Dr. Erol Katırcıoğlu, Prof. Dr. Fuat Keyman, Prof. Dr. Gencay Gürsoy, Güler Buğday, Hatice Kapusuz, Hülya Gülbahar, Hüsnü Öndül, İbrahim Sinemillioğlu, Prof. Dr. Levent Köker, Mehmet Güleryüz, Melda Onur, Maside Ocak, Prof. Dr. Metin Günday, Prof. Dr. Murat Belge, Murathan Mungan, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Erdoğan, Nesrin nas, Dr. Nil Mutluer, Prof. Dr. Niyazi Öktem, Prof. Dr. Oktay Uygun, Osman Kavala, Prof. Dr. Osman Doğrı, Osman Murat Ülke, Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu, Öztürk Türkdoğan, Rıza Türmen, Sefa Öztürkdede, Prof. Dr. Sevtap Yokuş, Tarık Ziya Ekinci, Prof. Dr. Turgut Tarhanlı, Prof. Dr. Yücel Sayman. (NV/DG)