HDP Cancels Mass Gatherings for Newroz Due to Coronavirus

* Photo: İstanbul newroz in 2019/Evrim Kepenek/bianet

Click to read the article in Turkish

Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Central Executive Board held an emergency meeting at the party headquarters yesterday (March 12).

As Turkey confirmed its first case of Covid-19, the new strain of coronavirus, on March 11, the party has decided to cancel Newroz celebrations.

Presided by HDP Co-Chairs Pervin Buldan and Mithat Sancar, the emergency meeting discussed the coronavirus pandemic, the prison sentence given to dismissed Diyarbakır Metropolitan Mayor Selçuk Mızraklı, the journalists arrested for reporting on the funeral of a National Intelligence Organization (MİT) official in Libya and the detention of lawyers in Turkey's southeastern provinces of Urfa and Diyarbakır.

As reported by Mezopotamya Agency (MA), the meeting was also attended by representatives from the Democratic Society Congress (DTK), Free Women's Movement (TJA), Democratic Regions Party (DBP), Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), Azadî Party, Revolutionary Democratic Kurdish Association (DDKD), Human and Freedom Party (PİA), Kurdistan Communist Party (KKP) and Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP-Bakur).

The ensuing statement for the press was attended by DTK Co-Chairs Leyla Güven and Berdan Öztürk, DBP Co-Chairs Saliha Aydeniz and Keskin Bayındır and TJA Spokesperson Ayşe Gökkan as well as representatives from the Kurdish parties member to the Kurdistani Coalition.

The representatives have decided to cancel Newroz celebrations over Covid-19 concerns. The HDP has announced the decision on Twitter:

Due to the #coronavirus, which has become a serious threat to all humanity, we announce to our peoples and the international community that we have cancelled the Newroz 2020 mass gatherings. #Covid_19 pic.twitter.com/ZYgJw0uMiJ

— HDP English (@HDPenglish) March 12, 2020

"Due to the coronavirus, which has become a serious threat to all humanity, we announce to our peoples and the international community that we have cancelled the Newroz 2020 mass gatherings."

(EMK/SD)