Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Seán Crowe TD, has strongly criticised the Turkish Government after 60 party executives from the opposition People’s Democratic Party (HDP) and its sister party, the Democratic Regions Party (DBP), were arrested on 11 October.

Deputy Crowe said:

“The arrest of 60 party executives of the leftist and pro-Kurdish HDP and DBP in Diyarbakir and Bitlis shows the continued crackdown on democratic politics in Turkey.

“The continued oppressive measures launched by the Turkish Government against the political representatives of the Kurdish people undermine the democratic process and harm attempts to re-establish dialogue and a working peace process.

“In what has become an all too common experience, the lawyers of those detained have been refused access to their clients and their families have received no information on the health and well-being of their loved ones.

“I am calling on the Turkish Government to grant immediate access to the lawyers and families of those accused, and to end its campaign of arrest and intimidation against groups and individuals who democratically oppose and criticise the Government.”

ENDS