Political figures from 23 countries: End legal attacks against HDP

Over 50 political figures from 23 countries called on Turkish authorities to end the judicial harassment against the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), who is facing a closure case in Turkey's Constitutional Court.

In a letter organized by the Progressive International (PI), a global network of progressive parties and groups, they said:

"This trial to ban the HDP is now entering its final phase. On 11 April, just a few weeks before the elections, the Constitutional Court will hear HDP co-chairs Pervin Buldan's and Mithat Sancar's arguments against the suspension of the party's funding and the attempt to dissolve it. And it could make its final ruling at any point before the elections."

They continued:

"The possibility that the country's third largest party in parliament - representing more than 10% of the popular vote in the past two general elections - could be permanently banned so close to the upcoming elections places Turkish democracy in dire jeopardy."

They added:

"If the Erdogan Government dissolves the Peoples' Democratic Party, it will likewise dissolve the foundations of democracy in Turkey. We defend the HDP's right to freedom of association, expression, peaceful assembly, and participation in the upcoming elections. It is time to end the legal attacks against the HDP now, once and for all."

Among the signatories of the letter are French presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon, co-chair of The Left in Germany Janine Wissler, Britain’s former Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn, American linguist and philosopher Noam Chomsky, former Greek minister of finance Yanis Varoufakis, Canadian deputy Niki Ashton, Chilean deputy Gonzalo Winter, MEP Ozlem Demirel.

HDP is accused by the prosecution in the closure case of "providing space for the activities of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)", designated a "terrorist group" by Ankara.

Presidential and parliamentary elections in Turkey have been set for 14 May.