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HDP appears to reject alleged Istanbul election message by jailed Ocalan

HDP appears to reject alleged Istanbul election message by jailed Ocalan
HDP appears to reject alleged Istanbul election message by jailed Ocalan

2019-06-21 00:00:00 - Source: kurdistan 24

“Our votes are for democracy, peace, and freedom. Say no to those who wish to get even stronger through leeching on Istanbul,” the party headquarters in Ankara posted in Turkish.

Shortly before, Kurdish academic Ali Kemal Ozcan, known for his past remarks supportive of Erdogan, had brought forward a hand-written letter he received personally from Ocalan during a meeting earlier in the day.

“Considering that domestic, regional, and global issues are becoming more complicated, it is imperative to preserve this approach of a third way. As such the HDP’s democratic stance should not be a prop or side to the current election debates,” the letter read, calling on the HDP to boycott Istanbul elections, a scenario in which Erdogan’s party clearly wins.

Ocalan had been under years-long isolation at a Turkish island jail as he was denied family and lawyer visitations until recently. The visit by Ozcan, who is neither a relative nor a lawyer of Ocalan, to Imrail island only days ahead of the critical Istanbul elections raised questions as to whether he was sent there by Ankara.

“Say it once again Istanbul; it is ours,” the party’s Co-leader Sezai Temelli tweeted in a bilingual Turkish-Kurdish message.

HDP’s decision is ultimately reasoned on a years-long massive crackdown by Erdogan’s administration on Kurds in Turkey, its war on Syrian Kurds such as the occupation of Afrin, and fierce objection through repeated threats to the Kurdistan Region’s independence referendum in late 2017.

The Istanbul-based Asrin Law firm which represents Ocalan neither denied nor confirmed the claims by the pro-government media.

“We will inform the public on June 21,” it said in a short online statement.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany





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