Turkey: HDP claims politics behind drive to close it

By Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - The case seeking closure of the opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) is not judicial but political, the party's co-chair claimed on Tuesday.

"The case is a case of political revenge. The closure case is not judicial but political. It is a conspiracy case filed against the people and the will of the people," Pervin Buldan told her party's parliamentary group.

Turkey's top prosecutor on March 18 filed an indictment seeking to shut down the HDP, calling it an undemocratic party that colludes with the terrorist group PKK and seeks to destroy the unity of the state.

Buldan accused the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) of being behind the closure case.

"They made the decision and gave instructions for this case. The small ally [MHP] is the prosecutor of the case, and the big ally [AK Party] is the chief prosecutor of the case. The AK Party-MHP want to close down the HDP in order to win elections and keep their parties open," she said.

They cannot close down the HDP, Buldan said, adding that at the end of the case the AK Party and MHP would be the biggest losers.

The MHP cooperates with the ruling AK Party under their People’s Alliance, formed ahead of the June 2018 general elections.

The government has long accused the HDP as being little more than a front for the terrorist group PKK.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of at least 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.