İHD to observe elections with a team of 2,500 people
ANKARA (DİHA) – As of June 3, there have been 168 attacks on the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) since March 23rd in Turkey, according to a new report by Turkey's Human Rights Association (İHD). The attacks on the HDP constituted nearly 90% of all elections-related violence in Turkey.
İHD held a press conference today in Ankara about the abuse of political rights during Turkey's Parliamentary election campaign. Observers recorded 187 incidents of repression, attacks, threats and police suppression aimed at political parties' election headquarters, candidates and rallies.
168 attacks on HDP in 2.5 months
The vast majority of the attacks (168) were against the HDP, with 12 attacks against the AKP, 5 against the CHP and 2 against the MHP. Of the 97 people wounded in the attacks, 93 of them were HDP members. 32 HDP members reported torture or mistreatment in custody. The government issued bans on two HDP rallies, one concert and one march. One HDP rally had its location reassigned.
The government arrested 183 people related to elections violence, but just 8 of those are being held pending charges.
A team of 2,500 people from the Human Rights Association and Independent Elections Monitoring Platform worked to observe the elections process in 48 of Turkey's 81 provinces. The groups say they will be filing complaints with the European Council and the Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe related to obstructions to the monitoring process by elections officials.
(cm/nt)
