The international observers, who have come Turkey to watch the elections, have been facing with obstacles, European Parliament (EP) delegation regarded the experiences as “an image that does not fit to Democracy”. International observer delegation who came to Turkey to follow and to observe November 1st elections have been encountering with obstructiveness and pressure. According […]
The international observers, who have come Turkey to watch the elections, have been facing with obstacles, European Parliament (EP) delegation regarded the experiences as “an image that does not fit to Democracy”.
International observer delegation who came to Turkey to follow and to observe November 1st elections have been encountering with obstructiveness and pressure.
According to ANF’s news European Parliament delegation faced with masked special operation teams in Diyarbakır Sur, whereas 6-member European delegation in Yenişehir and an interpreter in Dicle detained. The driver of a delegation who have made observations in the villages was beaten by the AKP supporters. Also In Sur, the police threatened the reporters by saying “we may shoot by accident”.
The delegation from England was threatened by AKP Diyarbakır deputy candidate Baran Çelik and his accompanying guards in Diyarbakır Çermik. Çelik threatened the English delegation who were making observations in Çermik Anatolian High School by saying that “It is a democratic country, what do you want? Go get out of here.” Çelik’s guards tried forcing the delegation to get out of the school. Again in a village of Çermik named Alakoç, the soldiers wanted to interfere the voting by entering the ballot area.
In Yokuşlu village of Dicle district, Ramazan Tunç who makes interpretation for USA and Italian delegations, was taken to detention. Tunç, who was taken to District Gendarmerie Station, still in the custody. Soldiers in Alangör village of Yenişehir district, prevented the Syrian delegations from entering the schools based on the reason that they do not have the passports on them. 6-member European delegation who came to the village also were detained by the military on the grounds that they greet with citizens.
The delegation, which is including Basque and Catalan parliamentarians and journalists, that came to Ağrı for observing the elections was not taken into schools by the police.
The driver of the German delegation who were going to Sason-Kozluk district in Batman, was detained. In the center of Batman, the German delegation is not allowed to enter any school.
It was learned that in Adıyaman, both international observer committee and observers of the HDP (Peoples’ Democratic Party) hadn’t been allowed to enter some of the schools.
Observation committe from Switzerland was blocked in some schools, there were brief controversies.
Not only in the Kurdish provinces, international observers faced with obstacles in Istanbul too. According to İleri (a leftist news agency from Turkey), observers from Greece were detained by police in İstanbul Kumkapı Tevfik Kut Primary School. According to ETHA’s (a leftist news agency from Turkey and Kurdistan) report, the work of French observation committee on the Danube Elementary School in Bayrampaşa denied. The committee was closed to the principal’s office.
“An image that does not fit to Democracy”
The committee member Martina Michels, who is coming from The European Parliament (EP) to observe elections, states that they were surprised by what they saw and democracy is disappeared in Diyarbakir. Michels, points out that the police presence in the schools makes it clear to any provocation to election, “what happened here is not suitable for any democracy criteria. Absolutely, this is an image that does not fit to democracy. I’ve never seen such a militaristic atmosphere in the world. there is an unbelievable situation at here” he said.
Committee member Josu Juaristi Abunz says there were polices both inside and outside of the schools, and it is not acceptable and they would carry their observations to the Europen Parliament.
Catalan Parliament’s former deputy Qvim Arrufat, who came to the Ağrı for observing, said that in past elections he came to the region too for observing the election, but said for the first time faced with such an attitude. Turkey only invited 40 people of international observing committe for elections and stated that none of them is in Ağrı. Arrufat said “Our intention to enter inside which are rejected means not being adhered to democratic principles. There is a violation of democracy in here. Too dangerous. In everywhere we will share this attitude with public”.
Sendika.Org News
