Turkey's Parliamentary Purge and the Hdp's Dilemma
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TURKEY’S PARLIAMENTARY PURGE AND THE HDP’S DILEMMA KAYLA KOONTZ FEBRUARY 2020 POLICY PAPER 2020-3 CONTENTS * INTRODUCTION * THE HDP’S CRISIS * METHODOLOGY * THE LINEAGE OF POLITICAL OPPRESSION * HDP LEADERSHIP * IMMUNITY * THE CHARGES * PUSHED OUT OF PARLIAMENT * LEGAL PRACTICES AND SCARE TACTICS * TIMELINE * NEW CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS AND IMMUNITY REVOCATION * CONNECTING THE YPG AND THE PKK * THE PURGE IN NUMBERS * YA ME YE “IT IS OURS” * THE COALITION’S FUTURE SUMMARY In 2016 the Turkish parliament voted to revoke parliamentary immunity and initiated the ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) political purge of MPs with the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP). Despite the introduction of a new assembly in 2018, Turkey’s October invasion of northeast Syria provided ample incentives for the launch of new investigations into HDP members protesting the operation. The targeting of the HDP has set new legal and political precedents that could undermine the political capacity of the opposition coalition as a whole and create ideological divisions over the so-called “Kurdish Question.” This report records documented arrests of HDP MPs from June 2016 to January 2018 in order to identify prominent trends and waves of arrests that correspond to political and legal events. early elections, implicitly acknowledging INTRODUCTION his declining support. Despite recent hemorrhaging of backing from the AKP, On Nov. 20, 2019 Turkey’s Peoples’ the move to call for early elections is Democratic Party (HDP) announced that it largely symbolic as snap elections require would remain in parliament and refrain from 60 percent of parliament to vote in favor, exercising the so-called “nuclear option” and Erdoğan’s coalition currently holds 53 (the sine-i millet option). HDP officials had percent of the seats.3 More potent is the been considering resigning from their posts message that the HDP has not altogether en masse in the hope of spurring an interim abandoned hope in the political process election. HDP spokesman Günay Kubilay and the opposition coalition, despite had previously said that the proposed significant barriers to its political activity. mass resignation from parliament was “a democratic and legitimate proposal” and several party members had voiced their support for the move.1 Instead, HDP THE HDP’S CRISIS officials took the less drastic approach Since the attempted coup in 2016 and simply called for an early election Erdoğan has wielded unchecked power, in a bid for support from other coalition carrying out massive purges of alleged parties: the Republican People’s Party Gülenists, Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) (CHP), the Felicity Party (SP), and the Good sympathizers, and those who simply dared Party (Iyi Parti). Public polls showed many to defy or insult him. The passing of a bill supporters calling for a stronger response to revoke the immunity of members of from HDP officials to the mass purge of parliament (MPs) famously ended in blows their politicians, but also that they did not as some HDP members recognized the prefer the sine-i millet option. amendment as the beginning of the end In response to the HDP statement that they for their party. would remain in parliament, the CHP said The Western media has paid considerable that they would vote in favor of an early attention to the Kurdish armed movement election if it were proposed, despite party in Syria known as the People’s Protection leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu’s statement Units (YPG) and its relationship with Ankara. in August that the Turkish people are Yet there has been little coverage of how “tired of elections.”2 The same day, the SP Turkey’s October invasion of northeast announced that it would also support a Syria, known as Operation Peace Spring, snap election. Snap elections have played has affected Kurdish movements in Turkey a key role in the electoral success of the and the opposition movement as a whole. ruling Justice and Development Party Erdoğan’s foreign policy decisions often (AKP), yet Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip reflect his waning domestic support and Erdoğan, denounced this latest call for serve to distract or divide the opposition. 1 Ekrem Imamoglu (C,R), the new mayor of Istanbul from Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), shakes hand with the removed mayor of Mardin, Ahmet Turk (L) during his visit on August 31, 2019, in Diyarbakir. (Photo by ILYAS AKENGIN/AFP via Getty Images) The October incursion was no different, party before the next round of elections, and it reinvigorated nationalist sentiment scheduled for 2023.5 Although the leading among supporters of the AKP and the opposition party, the CHP, has performed opposition alike. Moreover, this latest several acts of solidarity with the HDP military operation was in effect condoned over the past year, its nationalist creed at by parliament as it voted to approve six a time of rising anti-Kurdish sentiment has more months of military presence in Iraq raised questions about the durability of its and Syria.4 tenuous alliance with the HDP. The only major party to disapprove, the HDP, was silenced by a new wave of arrests and investigations against party members. METHODOLOGY Protests against Operation Peace Spring were violently suppressed, with some This report records documented arrests of MPs being physically obstructed and HDP MPs. It uses “arrests” to refer to both prevented from making statements, temporary detainments and arrests that escalating to the point that one was even led to prison sentences. In many cases pepper sprayed in the face in front of his MPs are arrested twice over the course of own office. New hearings on revoking MPs’ one or two days. In most instances, they immunity targeting primarily HDP officials are released the next day. It should be have threatened the very existence of the noted that the arrests documented here 2 People’s Democratic Party (HDP) co-chairs Selahattin Demirtas (R) and Figen Yuksekdag hold a press conference about an explosion targeting a cultural center in Suruc district of Sanliurfa in which at least 31 people were killed and 100 others injured, on July 20, 2015, in Ankara, Turkey. (Photo by Dilek Mermer/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) only represent those which were reported on and likely do not reflect the real total THE LINEAGE number of arrests carried out against OF POLITICAL HDP MPs. Likewise, these numbers do not include other HDP supporters or officials OPPRESSION who have been arrested or ousted. This report does not attempt to determine the The HDP has been represented as the de veracity of the alleged crimes but rather facto “Kurdish party” but its initial campaign seeks to highlight the prominent trends attracted the support of young leftists, and waves of arrests that correspond to minority voters, and Istanbulites alike. For political and legal events. many, its liberal platform offered one of the only alternatives to the nationalist parties in parliament. The HDP was formed in 2012 as the newest iteration of a series of leftist political movements that were quickly associated with Kurdish nationalism (and subsequently banned) despite their broader political agendas. The HDP was formed from a 3 coalition of leftist parties known as the cease-fire.8 Demirtaş, who was sentenced Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK) in to more than four years in prison in 2018, order to surpass the 10 percent electoral has vehemently denied the HDP’s and threshold for parliamentary representation his own association with the PKK. In 2017 and promote independent candidates. he reiterated, in response to the charges The HDP was founded as a democratic against him, “I am not a manager, member, socialist party with a particular emphasis spokesperson, or a sympathizer of the PKK. on protecting the rights of minorities. Its I am the co-chair of the HDP; and I criticize symbol, a multicolored tree reminiscent all means of violence and war, and I stand of the trees that sparked the 2013 against such policies.”9 Gezi Park protests, encompasses its The collapse of the cease-fire with the promotion of diversity and the values of PKK in 2015 followed by the launch of the Gezi Park protest movement, such Turkish military offensives into Syria in as environmentalism, gender equality, 2016 (Operation Euphrates Shield) and diversity, democracy, and socialism.6 2018 (Operation Olive Branch) heightened In 2014 the HDP ran detained politician People’s Democratic Party (HDP) co-chairs Selahattin Demirtas (R) and Figen Yuksekdag hold a press conference about tensions between Turkish officials and an explosion targeting a cultural center in Suruc district of Sanliurfa in which at least 31 people were killed and 100 Selahattin Demirtaş as its candidate in the others injured, on July 20, 2015, in Ankara, Turkey. (Photo by Dilek Mermer/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) Kurds and served a fatal blow to the HDP. presidential election. He finished in third As the party’s politicians began to speak place and became a popular figure, known out against Turkish operations in both Syria for his powerful speeches and dedication and southeast Turkey, AKP representatives to a peaceful political process. In 2015, the introduced legislation to strip MPs of their HDP surpassed the 10 percent threshold immunity. and entered parliament with 13 percent of the seats in what was seen as a resounding In the wake of the 2016 coup attempt blow to the AKP.7 Erdoğan consolidated his grip on power and conducted purges against “terrorists” Since its founding, the HDP has faced with little opposition. As clashes between allegations of affiliation with the PKK, a the PKK and the Turkish military escalated Kurdish militant group that has carried out in 2016, the first HDP officials were terrorist attacks against both Kurdish and investigated and the administration began Turkish civilians, as well as security forces.