Closure Case for Parties Which Have 'Kurdistan' in Their Names
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The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office of the Supreme Court of Appeals has filed a closure case against the Kurdistan Communist Party (KKP) and the Kurdistan Freedom Party (Partîya Azadîya Kurdistanê / PAK).
The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office filed the case on the ground that the Kurdistan Communist Party's bylaws and program include parts that violate Article 3 of the Constitution and Articles 78, 79/a, 80, 81, 82, 83 and 96 of the Law on Political Parties and that the mentioned violations have not been eliminated despite warnings.
General Assembly of the Constitutional Court will make its first examination on the case on February 13. If the General Assembly does not determine a deficiency in the case, it will make an examination as to the accusations and give its verdict.
KKP is allied with HDP
The KKP stated that it will form an alliance with the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) for the local elections on March 31. The party changed its name from Freedom and Socialism Party (ÖSP) to Kurdistan Communist Party in its third general congress on November 11, 2018.
Kurdistan Freedom Party
Kurdistan Freedom Party was founded on December 11, 2014 and is headed by Mustafa Özçelik. The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office of the Supreme Court of Appeals sent a warning notice to the party for the removal of the word "Kurdistan" in March 2015.
Ongoing case against TDKP
The first political party with the word "Kurdistan" in its name is the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Turkey (TDKP). The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office of the Supreme Court of Appeals permitted the party's foundation on April 28, 2014. But afterwards, the Prosecutor's Office sent a warning notice to the party to remove 'Kurdistan' from its name.
Relevant articles of the Constitution and the Law on Political PartiesThe Constitution ARTICLE 3 - The State of Turkey, with its territory and nation, is an indivisible entity. Its language is Turkish. Its flag, the form of which is prescribed by the relevant law, is composed of a white crescent and star on a red background. Its national anthem is the "Independence March". Its capital is Ankara. The Law on Political Parties Article 78 - This article refers to Article 3 of the Constitution. Article 79/a - Political parties shall not uphold the aim to eradicate the legal and political existence of the Republic of Turkey based on the principle of independence and equality as per international law or to allow other states, international organizations and foreign real persons and legal entities to interfere in matters exclusively concerning the Republic of Turkey as defined by international law and shall not engage in activities towards this end Article 80 – Political parties shall not uphold the aim of changing the principle of the unity of the State, on which the Republic of Turkey is established and shall not engage in activities to this end. Article 81/a - Shall not uphold that there are minorities in the Republic of Turkey based on the difference of national or religious culture or sect or race or language. Article 82 - Political parties shall not uphold the aim or engage in activities of regionalism and racism in the indivisible country. Article 83 – Political parties shall not uphold aims or engage in activities against the principle that every person is equal before the law with no discrimination based on language, race, color, gender, political opinion, philosophical belief, religion, sect and similar. Article 96 - It is prohibited to establish a political party under a name including the words communist, anarchist, fascist, theocratic, national socialist or any other words denoting a religion, language, race, sect or region or any other names having the same meaning, these words shall not be used in the title of the political party. |
(HK/VK)