Demirtaş: Our Democratic Reaction will Persist at 4 P.M. Everyday

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Representatives of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK), Democratic Society Congress (DTK), Democratic Regions Party (DBP) have held a joint press statement at Diyarbakır HDP provincial building as to Sur district under curfew.

The meeting saw participation of HDP Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş, HDK Co-Spokesperson Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit, DTK Co-Chairs Hatip Dicle and Selma Irmak, and DBP Co-Chair Kamuran Yüksek.

Demirtaş said their call for march towards Sur shows continuity. He announced that marches will continue in every neighborhood of Diyarbakır at 4 p.m. everyday.

“Everyone should continue to execute their democratic reaction in every neighborhood of Diyarbakır and on their own streets at 4 p.m. everyday. We will carry on with executing our democratic reaction without harming anyone’s life, property by preventing provocations that might cause the harming”.

“12 civilians evacuated from Sur”

Following the call for march, Demirtaş stated that over 50 protests took place in Diyarbakır, and 12 civilians were evacuated from Sur.

“People used their democratic rights. After the march and talks following it, 12 civilians some of whom were small children and babies were evacuated. Some have been taken to hospital, and some others have been taken into custody”.

Noting they cannot receive proper information from Sur and there are more than 10 children there, Demirtaş stated they hope the evacuation will continue.

“AKP is committing crime”

“A crime against humanity is being committed. Firing on civilian people just because some ditches were dig somewhere, burning down the city is a war crime.

“Article 25 of Geneva and Rome conventions are being violated by AKP (Justice and Development Party). They cannot open fire in civilian settlements.

“People of Diyarbakır should know this: Violence in Sur is on the state. If the government will fight armed people, there is a law binding it too. It went out of that law. AKP government has committed crime.

“We believe people of Diyarbakır need to execute their democratic reaction until things in Sur become clear. We will not remain silent. They may threaten, bastardize but we won’t take step backwards. It is them who take the decision of war police, it is them who burn the people alive as in Cizre, but it is still us who are being threatened”.

"We will take this crime against humanity to international arena"

Demirtaş in response to a question regarding reactions of the government and the probe launched following the call for march, has responded as “they fear people”:

“They fear people. They get goose bumps when we have urged people to protest against the government. Why would a government fear people? They are right about fearing, they have many crimes and people will hold them accountable for those”.

“Evidence, images, autopsy reports, audio recordings of all massacres including [those in] Cizre are being archived one by one. It may not be possible for today but you will see, we will have this crime against humanity judged in International Criminal Court. There is no lapse of time for crimes against humanity. We will take it to the international arena at the earliest time possible”. (BK/TK)