Solidarity message from the People’s Democratic Party of Indonesia (PRD):
People’s Democratic Party of Indonesia (PRD) strongly condemns the detention of 82 leaders of the Turkish People’s Democratic Party (HDP) by the government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan. There is no reason for the detention other than the manipulative pretext that Erdogan regime always used to carry out anti-democratic actions, both against politicians, journalists, advocates, artists and Turkish people in general.
Our concern is that Turkey has become a huge prison for any political expression that does not conform to the wishes of the government. Since 2015 there have been 16,000 HDP members and officers detained by Erdogan’s regime, and 5,000 of them have been sentenced to prison.
As a legal party that has the third-largest representation in Turkey’s parliament, HDP members do not deserve to be treated as criminals who are subject to constant imprisonment and murder. We are wondering that this Erdogan administration’s anti-democratic actions only show its fear of the HDP’s development as an alternative party that is starting to win over the hearts of the Turkish people.
We realize that the Turkish state and government has sovereignty in its country. But Turkey is not alone the world. The Turkish state is a part of the world community that recognizes universal human rights. Just as the world speaks out against racial discriminations and violence in the United States and elsewhere, today the world certainly speaks out against abuses by the Erdogan administration.
Therefore, we ask the government of Republic of Indonesia to immediately summon the Turkish Ambassador to demand the release of the political prisoners and stop all anti-democratic actions.
We express our solidarity and support to sisters and brothers at HDP to continue the struggle for a more just, democratic, and peaceful Turkey and the world.
On behalf of the Central Leadership Committee
Agus Jabo Priyono
Chairperson
30 September 2020