'If these attacks are not prevented, things can go as far as political assassinations'

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An armed assault was carried out on the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) İzmir Provincial Organization today (June 17) at around 11.05 a.m. A man named O.G. killed a party employee, Deniz Poyraz.

Commenting for bianet, the leaders of the Socialist Refoundation Party (SYKP), the Labor Party (EMEP) and the Revolutionary Party (DP) said that the attack happened after the ruling party "marked the HDP as a target."

The Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) and the Left Party condemned the attack on social media, saying that government officials and Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu were responsible for the attack.

"AKP-MHP are responsible"

SYKP Chair Canan Yüce: "The AKP-MHP rule has been attacking the HDP with all its strength for a long time. They are doing this with discourse, marking the HDP as a target and provoking gangs.

"There were also similar attacks before June 7 [2015 election] and November 1 [2015 snap election]. They are trying to repeat that period.

"At that time, they wanted to eliminate the HDP by carrying out a series of attacks but they couldn't do it. The HDP became much more powerful and then they resorted to the Kobanî case and the closure case.

"Now that they have realized these won't yield results as well, they resort to attacks like this. They won't be able to intimidate women, socialists with attacks like this. The HDP is legitimate, they won't be able to criminalize it.

"A woman friend of ours has lost her life. The AKP-MHP rule is responsible for this. As long as their discourse targeting the HDP continues, these attacks will continue as well. Political attacks are carried out with state power."

"The attack came with our eyes open"

EMEP Chair Ercüment Karadeniz: "The attack on the HDP İzmir Provincial Organization is a cowardly provocation. It is an effort to intimidate and design the democratic opposition through the HDP. This attack is an attack not only on the HDP but also on Turkey's democratic forces.

"The predominant media is also a part of these provocations. The lynching of the HDP during television programs where HDP [members] were not present paved the way for these attacks. The attack came with our eyes open. This attack should be a warning to all democratic forces.

"Kurdish politicians are fettered over the Kobanî trial and closure attempts. The attack is not independent from these. If not prevented, things can go as far as political assassinations. We call on all democratic forces for solidarity. As EMEP, we'll expand solidarity."

"An attack targeting all women"

Revolutionary Party Chair Elif Torun-Öneren: "The HDP has become the fear of the AKP-MHP rule. Nothing they did in the past six years could intimidate the HDP and its constituents. False lawsuits and false trials are made but they can't break the HDP's power despite that.

"Today's attacks were carried out by the forces that they've been feeding and provoking for years. A woman friend of ours lost her life. This is not a coincidence, it's an attack on the women's struggle of the HDP. An attack targeting all women...

"Besides, there are a lot of police officers in front of the building. How can some people with weapons attack somewhere that is under contract police surveillance?

"It's said that the assailant is caught. Whom did you catch in an attack you carried out yourself? Weare with the HDP with all our strength. We are the HDP." (RT/VK)