Pre-election crackdown on Kurdish groups draws condemnation

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This morning, police raided homes and offices in 21 cities, resulting in the detention of numerous individuals, including journalists, politicians, lawyers, and artists.

The state-run Anadolu Agency (AA) reported that 126 people were taken into custody. The detainees include members of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), media workers from Kurdish-focused outlets, lawyers and Kurdish theater artists.

Political parties, institutions, and representatives expressed their disapproval of the arrests, including the People's Democratic Party (HDP) and the Green Left Party.

The HDP Central Executive Board released a written statement regarding the detentions, stating that their Co-Chair Özlem Gündüz, board members Mahfuz Güleryüz, and several other members were taken into custody. The statement read:

"Since 2015, the government, which has been attempting to extend its life through political coups, massacres, black propaganda, special warfare methods, threats, blackmail, and all kinds of attacks, has launched a new coup process for the May 14 elections with this morning's detention frenzy.

"This operation is an operation to steal ballots and the people's will. This operation is an open threat and intimidation to society and its political preferences."

"No coincidence"

"It is no coincidence that lawyers who will protect the election ballot boxes, journalists who will inform the public, and politicians who are competing with the AKP in the field have been targeted simultaneously.

"We call on anyone who wants this system of threats and blackmail to end and who has shown the will to confront the injustices that have been practiced for years to take a clear stance against these attacks.

"We call on everyone to take responsibility for participating in election campaigns, protecting ballot boxes, and actively fighting against the coup in place of every person taken into custody.

"We will win"

The Green Left Party, which will run in the elections instead of the HDP due to its possible closure by the top court, also released a statement on its social media account.

"The AKP-MHP government is trying to continue its election campaign with detentions and arrests. The dozens of unlawful detentions that took place this morning are the biggest sign of this.

"No matter how much they struggle, they will not be able to escape from their big defeat. Our people will give them the answer on May 14!"

"Tyrants will go"

The Progressive Lawyers' Association (ÇHD) said, "Our ÖHD colleagues and the Kurdish people who are trying to be silenced by political operations are not alone.

"It's not possible to keep tyrants, they will go eventually. Those who resist will win."

The Turkey Press Workers' Union (Basın-İş), which is affiliated with the Confederation of Revolutionary Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK), said, "Following an operation that was clearly election-oriented, many of our members were taken into custody. We invite all our friends to stand up for the honor of journalism. Journalism is not a crime."

Ercüment Akdeniz, the leader of the Labor Party (EMEP), also noted that there were 19 days left until the elections.

"The AKP government, which is trying to exclude the HDP from the elections by pressuring it to close down, has begun detentions 19 days before the elections. It is fear of losing.

"Democratic politics cannot be shackled. The detainees should be released immediately." (TY/VK)