Election Safety Violations in Urfa; CHP, HDP Appeal to Supreme Election Council
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An armed conflict erupted during the election works of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) Urfa MP and MP candidate İbrahim Halil Yıldız in the district of Suruç in Turkey's southeastern province of Urfa on June 14. Esvet Şenyaşar and his two sons, Celal and Adil Şenyaşar as well as the AKP MP Yıldız's brother Mehmet Şah Yıldız were killed in the conflict.
It has been reported that the AKP MP İbrahim Halil Yıldız visited the schools* in Suruç in company with a large number of armed guards, battered the polling clerks of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and forced the voters to vote for the AKP and the President and AKP Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
As reported by Mezopotamya Agency, the AKP MP Yıldız and those accompanying him seized the mobile phones of all voters at three schools that they had visited so far.
CHP and HDP have appealed to the Election Council
The Ankara MP of the main opposition party Republican Peoples' Party (CHP) Murat Emir has stated that they have appealed to the Supreme Election Council (YSK) regarding the repressions and election safety violations committed in Suruç, Urfa.
It has been reported later in the day that the YSK representative of the HDP Pınar Akdemir has also appealed to the Council regarding the election safety violations committed at schools in Suruç. Akdemir has said, "The allegations have to be investigated and immediately intervened in."
YSK has launched an investigation
Speaking about the reported incidents in Suruç, the Chairperson of the YSK Sadi Güven has said, "The necessary administrative and legal steps have been taken regarding the election safety related allegations about some ballot boxes in Suruç".
It has also been reported that the CHP has made four separate applications to the Supreme Election Council about the incidents in Urfa. The party has made 10 applications in total to the Council so far.
CHP Party Assembly member: "Almost 30 of our observers forcibly moved away"
The party assembly member of the CHP Mehmet Ali Çelebi posted the following tweets today (June 24):
"Everyone should keep a watchful eye on Urfa. We are waging a serious struggle. We will succeed."
"Almost 30 of our observers in Şanlıurfa have been forcefully moved away from the ballot boxes. A bitter struggle is continuing. No matter what happens, the national will will win!"
Women voters prevented from voting
Some election safety violations reported from Urfa are as follows:
At the ballot box no. 2044 in the village of Eyyübiye Bulduk, women voters have been prevented from casting their votes.
At the ballot box no. 1196 in the village of Geçit, men have casted votes in place of women.
At the ballot box no. 2110 in the village of Kanatlı, the village mukhtar has prevented women from voting by stating, "We have casted votes for you". (HK/SD)
* In Turkey, voters cast their votes at primary and secondary schools, which serve as election centers at presidential, parliamentary and local elections.