HDP, CHP Call to Release Academics

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In its statement concerning the academics under custody, Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) has demanded releasing the academics immediately.

“We would like to re-emphasize that we will be in solidarity with every attempt looking out for humanitarian values.

“Academics who have been taken into custody should immediately be released, investigations contradicting human rights and law and lynch campaigns run by and promoted by the government should be put an end to.

Assaults against academics unacceptable

HDP in its statement has emphasized that the ones raising their voices and looking out for the human dignity were being exposed to private and political lynch campaigns promoted by Justice and Development Party (AKP) Government and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in particular.

”The custodies of the academics declaring ‘We will not be a party to this crime’ constitute the last example for this.

“The verbal and actual assaults against the academics who have made a statement for the sake of ending the violence, solving the problems discussing and establishing peace, can absolutely not be accepted.

“The [Presidential] Palace* and the political authority should immediately put an end to their attitude violating universal and most fundamental human rights, and freedom of thought and expression”.

The practices were unlawful

In its party assembly statement,  Republican People’s Party (CHP) has also noted: “We demand putting immediately an end to the unlawful investigations, custodies and suspensions”.   

CHP Secretary General Gürsel Tekin has noted in the statement announced together with some MPs that CHP with no buts and ifs, fiercely condemns all sorts of terror and admits that it is a crime against humanity.

Extremely dangerous

It has been noted in the statement that the practices have been unlawful.

“As CHP Party Council, we find these operations which only exist within anti-democratic regimes and target freedom of expression thoughts and independent judiciary, unlawful, unacceptable and extremely dangerous”.

Contradicting statements

CHP Vice-Chair Sezgin Tanrıkulu had previously stated that they supported the academics yet CHP Vice-Chair and Spokesperson Haluk Koç had noted: “We do not stand by this declaration as Party”. (YY/DG)