Labor and Freedom Alliance calls on opposition to speak out against pre-election crackdown

The Labor and Freedom Alliance, led by the Green Left Party (YSP), has called on Turkey's opposition to speak out against the recent arrests and detentions of individuals in a terror investigation targeting Kurdish-linked groups. The crackdown, which took place across 21 cities, resulted in the detention of over 130 people, including politicians, journalists, artists, and lawyers.

The alliance claimed that the operation is politically motivated and is an attempt to affect the results of the upcoming dual polls on May 14. In a statement, the alliance said, "This is a part of the election campaign of the AKP-MHP government, which sees it will lose [the elections], with the police, prosecutors, and judges. It is a trap carried out with lies and fabricated statements that have nothing to do with the truth."

The Labor and Freedom Alliance also asserted that this is a last-ditch effort by the AKP-MHP government, whose attempts to maintain power are failing. The alliance called on all opposition voices to speak out against the crackdown, saying, "Everyone who is in favor of freedom and democracy must oppose this blow to the elections by the Palace regime. Silence will only embolden fascism. Our detained colleagues must be released immediately."

The Labor and Freedom Alliance is the third-largest election alliance in Turkey, and the Kurdish-issue focused Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) is the leading party of the alliance, which decided to run in the election under the Green Left due to the closure case it is facing. The alliance did not nominate a candidate for president, which was perceived as undeclared support for Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's main rival in the election. (AS/VK)