Corbyn: Progressive International will observe the elections in Turkey
Jeremy Corbyn, former leader of the Labour Party in Britain and currently a member of the parliament, announced on Thursday that Progressive International is sending a monitoring team to Turkey to observe the elections on 14 May.
Corbyn noted with concern that many journalists and political activists have been arrested in Turkey ahead of the elections and political dissidents are faced with "a massive repression."
Ahead of Turkey's elections on Sunday, the government has arrested journalists and opposition leaders. President Erdogan's allies have threatened violence.
— Progressive International (@ProgIntl) May 11, 2023
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He said in a video message:
"This Sunday, Turkey is holding very important elections, and there is a prospect of a very important change taking place in Turkey. But, ahead of these elections, the government has ensured the arrest of a large number of journalists and other activists within Turkish society. What's also happened has been inflation has been rampant, cost of living rising, living standards rapidly falling, and at the same time a massive political repression of those that are opposed to the government of president Erdogan."
He continued:
"These elections are going to be closely watched by a lot of people. There's going to be independent observer teams sent by a number of international organizations. And the Progressive International is sending a monitoring team as well to Turkey to observe these elections, to try to make sure they're run in a fair and peaceful manner so that the people of Turkey, all of the people of Turkey, can express their opinion on their own future and not allow a government to arrest people simply for expressing their political opinion of a different path for Turkey in the future."
