Anti-democratic %10 electoral threshold, which is also an anti-democratic topic for international public opinion, provides remove of Kurdish people’s representation from the legal parliamentary area. Even the electoral threshold’s existence is conserved, under the name of KCK Operations; more than 2000 members of BDP have been detained who are elected mayors, the chairs of provincial councils and executers of BDP.
Despite all these negatory practices of state, BDP have insisted to be on Parliamentarian realm for the representation of Kurdish People and for a peaceful settlement of Kurdish Question. But in 18th April, High Board of Elections (Yuksek Secim Kurulu or YSK) made a decision of veto against 12 independent candidates of whom 7 are supported by BDP. Although none of our candidates have juridical barriers for being candidate and even all the required documents have been ensured for the application, they have been refused. This decision is a continuance of political genocide.
Two of the independent candidates, whose applications have been refused, are MP currently. Former Co-President of BDP Ms. Gultan KISANAK and MP of BDP for Istanbul Ms. Sebahat TUNCEL attended the general elections in 2007 and there weren’t any barriers but in 2011 they met with blocking . This hinders confidence in terms of legal and conscientious. The decision on Mr. Ertugrul KURKCU, who has a leftist political background, relates to 40 years ago. On the other hand, the decision on former MPs Ms. Leyla ZANA (awarded Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 1995) and Mr. Hatip DICLE is also about the previous convictions. But there are decisions of restitution of electoral rights of all three of them. In spite of the decision of restitution, refusal of their application is a juridical coup d’état. It should be known clearly that there isn’t any candidate who has juridical barriers among the independent candidates of Labour, Peace and Freedom Bloc.
It is the first time that all Kurdish Political Parties and Leftist, Socialist and Democratic Powers in Turkey have decided for a joint participation to elections as a member of Labour, Peace and Freedom Bloc, under the leadership of BDP. However the decision of VETO against candidates of bloc means the implementation of 12nd September junta’s laws by AKP government. The decisions of VETO make the legitimacy of elections doubtful.
We strongly condemn the veto decisions taken by YSK and call on all the democratic institutions to come out against this kind of practices which are the barriers in front of representation of Kurdish People.
The Vetoed Candidates by YSK
Gültan KIŞANAK MP for Diyarbakir and the Candidate of Siirt
Sebahat TUNCEL MP for Istanbul and the Candidate of Istanbul
Leyla ZANA Former MP of DEP (Democracy Party) and the Candidate of Diyarbakir.
Hatip DİCLE Former MP of DEP (Democracy Party) and the Candidate of Diyarbakir.
M. Salih YILDIZ Former Mayor of Yuksekove/Hakkari and the Candidate of Hakkari
Ertuğrul KÜRKÇÜ The Candidate of Mersin
İsa GÜRBÜZ The Candidate of Elazig
Peace and Democracy Party (BDP)
European Representaive Office
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