Pero Dündar, one of the nine MPs of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) facing summaries of proceedings over charges related to Kobani protests, says the democratic politics is wanted to be tried by opening the investigation against them.  “We know that these pressures can be overcome by women's struggle. That is why today there is a special attack on feminist, revolutionary women. In this process, our negotiations continue in order to form a common struggle,” Pero Dündar says by drawing attention to the HDP's sensitivity about women's policies.

Ankara- Turkey has ranked 122nd in the category of women’s participation in parliament among 193 countries around the world. And it has ranked 138th in the category of female ministers in parliament among 190 countries. 103 women MPs were elected to the 600-seat Parliament in the last general election that took place in Turkey on June 24, 2018. Most of these female MPs are the female MPs of the HDP. A total of 521 summaries of proceedings have been prepared against the MPs. 23 of them were against female MPs. And the legislative immunity of an MP has been lifted. The HDP MP Leyla Güven was stripped of her parliamentary immunity put in prison. In the Turkish Parliament, new summaries of proceedings are being talked about.

The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has started preparing summaries of proceedings for nine HDP MPs; HDP Co-chair Pervin Buldan, HDP Group Deputy chairpersons Meral Danış Beştaş and Hakkı Saruhan Oluç, MPs Hüda Kaya, Sezai Temelli, Pero Dündar, Garo Paylan, Serpil Kemalbay and Fatma Kurtulan. They are accused of “instigating” street protests (Kobane protests) took place between October 6 and 8 in 2014. We interviewed HDP Mardin MP Pero Dündar about the discussion on closure of the HDP and new summaries of proceedings being prepared against them.  

“Democratic politics is wanted to be tried”

The HDP MP Pero Dündar says she learned the summaries of proceedings are prepared against them from press outlets.

“We learned the summaries of proceedings have been prepared against us from press outlets. This indictment is definitely a political indictment. The ruling party is openly seeking revenge. Even the MPs, who weren’t the MPs of the HDP at that time, are also included in the same indictment. This openly shows how democratic politics is wanted to be tried. We learned the summaries of proceedings were sent to the Ministry of Justice from press outlets. We know very well that this indictment is not a legal indictment. The ruling party wants to judge the democratic politics by doing so.”

“We expect the opposition groups to be more courageous”

Reminding that a process is being carried out to close the HDP, Pero Dündar underlines that what is carried out against the party is also a message to other segments;

“The pressures imposed on HDP should be evaluated as a whole. They (ruling party) try to break the branches of the HDP in this way. They try to leave the tree alone by breaking its branches. Actually, they try to silence the opposition. After the appointment of trustees to the municipalities, they try to appoint trustees to the NGOs. We cannot consider these developments separately. For instance, we cannot consider the attacks on students Boğaziçi University separately from the attacks on Kurdish people. All segments know that this is a political operation. They (the opposition) should take a bold stance rather than making evasive statements. What is happening to the HDP today may happen to other opposition groups tomorrow. All opposition groups are the target of the ruling party no matter the HDP exists or not. We expect the opposition groups to be more courageous. We don't see that courage right now. We should form a common struggle against pressure.”