Pro-Kurdish party in Turkey launches fundraising campaign after top court freezes its account

The pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) launched a fundraising campaign on Thursday to support its election campaign after Turkey's Supreme Court ruled in early January to freeze the party's bank accounts holding funds from the Treasury.

The fundraiser, organized under the hashtag #HazinemizHalkımız (Our treasury is our people), was announced on the party's website and social media accounts.

"Everyone knows that blocking financial aid to our party, which is against the constitution and the law, is a political decision by the Constitutional Court to prevent our party and prolong the life of the government," the HDP said in a statement.

It recalled that the party also did not receive a cent from the state in the 2015 elections, but gave a heavy blow to the ruling bloc.

The party was to receive 539 million lira ($29 million) from the state treasury for 2023, including 179 million lira ($9.6 million) on Jan. 10.

Leading representatives of the HDP called on supporters to support their party.

"How nice it would be if you would give a nice answer to those who block financial aid," former HDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtas wrote on Twitter.

HDP deputy parliamentary group leader Meral Danis Bestas also asked the party base for its support.

"Our party belongs to the people who say they will protect their party even if they have to sell their jackets," she said.