Opposition HDP initiates ‘Conscience and Justice Watch”

ANKARA

The Kurdish issue-focused Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) has initiated “Conscience and Justice Watch” for an undetermined time in the southeast province of Diyarbakır amid police barriers.

“Here we call out to the consciousness of 80 million people, to the west of Turkey. As long as our co-leaders Figen Yüksekdağ and Selahattin Demirtaş, our lawmakers and governors are in jail, our Conscience and Justice Watch will continue. We will continue our conscientious struggle until they regain their freedom,” Osman Baydemir, the spokesperson of HDP, has said in a parliamentary group meeting held in Diyarbakır on July 25.

“Until the state of emergency rule is lifted, our watch will continue. Until those who have lost their jobs, their bread and their lawful share by the decree laws will gain their rights, our stance will continue. We will not stop,” Baydemir added.

“We will not stop until the perpetrators of the crimes against humanity in Cizre, Şırnak, Hakkari and Sur will be prosecuted. The destruction in Sur is an attack against our heritage. Until that attack will stop, we will not stop, we will not stay silent,” he added.

After the group meeting, the HDP lawmakers and supporters have tried to enter the Ekin Ceren Park however the police only let the lawmakers enter the park.

Criticizing the police obstacle, HDP lawmakers have marched within the park to mark the imprisonment of the co-leaders and lawmakers.

Following the march, the watch had been started.

The party announced a plan of demonstrations on July 20 under the title “Do not stop, say stop.” According to the plan, the party listed nine demands, including the release of the imprisoned HDP members and to lift the state of emergency rule.

“We have initiated a conscience and justice movement by coming together in streets and work places with civil disobedience via meetings, conferences, forums, platforms and work-shops,” the announcement read.