Demirtaş Addresses Turkey by Phone

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The imprisoned Presidential candidate of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Selahattin Demirtaş made an election speech by phone.

His speech was then posted on the Twitter account of the HDP today (June 6). Demirtaş made the speech during his call to his wife Başak Demirtaş.

Here are some of the highlights from Demirtaş's speech:

"I have been illegally, unlawfully and lawlessly held here for 20 months, almost as a political hostage. Up until today, neither I, nor my friends have been fairly tried. The rule of law principle has been openly violated through political pressures on all courts.

"At a time when my hands are tied, the government authorities are continuing their slander campaigns against me without a pause. While it is not even possible to use my right of reply, they are continuing their political plays through all kinds of slanders.

"Unfortunately, Turkey has been turned into a semi-open prison as a whole. In this way, they want to create a society of fear, an empire of fear. It is not our inevitable fate, we are neither forced, nor condemned to it.

"Today is not the time to be hopeless, intimidated or fearful. We can solve all problems of our country by reconciling, solidarizing and being in unity." (ŞA/SD)