Merkel Meets HDP Committee

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German Chancellor Angela Merkel has met with a committee from the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) in the German Embassy. The committee consisted of the HDP Vice co-President and Bingöl MP Hişyar Özsoy, Party Group Vice Chair İdris Baluken and Mardin MP Mithat Sancar.

In the meeting which lasted 45 minutes, domestic and regional political developments have been evaluated.

Highlights from the meeting

Some headlines mentioned in the written statement concerning the meeting published by HDP Head Office were about the oppressions HDP is facing as a political party, the referendum process, arrested HDP MPs and the crackdowns on journalists, writers and NGOs.

According to the written statement, İdris Baluken, who was released from prison three days ago gave brief information about the conditions in the prison and remarked that the co-Chairs, MPs and mayors of the party who were in prison suffered under aggravated circumstances.

Emphasize was made on the fact that holding a referendum in State of Emergency would cast a shadow on the referendum and that the situation in Kurdish provinces was almost like under martial law.

It has also been pointed out that the only target of the oppressions was not the HDP but also almost every oppositional journalist, NGO, union or writer who have been targeted and stamped as terrorists.

Underlining the importance of making peace with not only the Kurds in Turkey but also the ones in Syria, the committee has also criticized the short-term policies of Merkel with regards to the refugee issue. (EKN/DG)