Sinn Féin spokesperson on Foreign Affairs and Defence, John Brady TD, today condemned the ongoing efforts of the Erdogan regime in Turkey to ban the Kurdish political party the HDP.

Teachta Brady said:

“We have recently had the development of a process intent on the banning of a legitimate democratic party in the state of Turkey, the Kurdish HDP, the third largest in the Turkish Parliament.

“This is despite the declaration by President Erdogan of a new Human Rights Action Plan, which he has promoted as including reforms on the law, and human rights.

“Turkey has a long record of outlawing Kurdish political parties. Previous to this instance, a total of six have been declared illegal.

“This latest phase began with the Turkish abandonment of the Kurdish Peace Process and has intensified on an intermittent basis since.

“We have witnessed the arrest of democratically elected deputies, their continued incarceration continuing despite the European Court of Human Rights calling for their release.

“We can expect to see this oppression, which includes the arrest and detention of thousands of political activists, to continue unabated, unless the international community intervenes.

“Neither the EU, nor Ireland, a key member, and a member of the UN Security Council, can allow this to continue.

“The citizens of Turkey have a right to exercise their will in fair and democratic elections.

“I call on the Irish government to raise this issue with the Council for action against this anti-democratic assault.”