Misplaced Pages

#641358

118-568: The event reached roughly 5,000 people by 2010. In 2013, the pride parade, with the attendance of Gezi Park protesters attracted almost 100,000 people. The 2014 Pride was the biggest LGBT event in Turkey's history and attracted more than 100,000 people. Since 2015 pride parades in Istanbul were denied permission by the Governorship of Istanbul authorities. The governors repeatedly stated that

236-402: A bulldozer and chase police vehicles. Front side of AKM ( Atatürk Cultural Center ) building at Taksim Square gets covered with banners. In Ankara, police tries to disperse thousands of protesters who are attempting to march on the prime minister's office there. PM Recep Tayyip Erdoğan speaks to reporters at the airport before leaving for a three-day trip to North Africa . He threatens

354-569: A $ 2.5 billion tax fine) against critical media groups and journalists: "over the last decade the AKP has built an informal, powerful, coalition of party-affiliated businessmen and media outlets whose livelihoods depend on the political order that Erdoğan is constructing. Those who resist do so at their own risk." The government has been seen by certain constituencies as increasingly Islamist and authoritarian, An education reform strengthening Islamic elements and courses in public primary and high schools

472-634: A Gelan ), or Democratic Party of the Peoples , is a pro- Kurdish political party in Turkey . Generally left-wing , the party places a strong emphasis on participatory and radical democracy , feminism , minority rights , youth rights , and egalitarianism . It is an associate member of the Party of European Socialists (PES), a consultative member of the Socialist International , and

590-790: A PKK spokesman. In February 2015, HDP chairwoman Figen Yüksekdağ claimed that a joint statement regarding the solution process could be made with the AKP. Delegations from the AKP and the HDP formally met in the Prime Minister's office in Dolmabahçe Palace in April 2015. After a raid on the HDP office in Esenyurt , Istanbul in January 2021, Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu shared a video flashing images of Abdullah Öcalan, criticizing

708-484: A President...) , which is followed by several different phrases, such as "Bir Cumhurbaşkanı Düşünün Ayrımcılık yapmıyor. Birleştiriyor, barıştırıyor." (Imagine a President who doesn't Discriminate, who Unites and makes Peace) or "Bir Cumhurbaşkanı Düşünün Herkese Demokrat" (Imagine a President who is Democratic to Everybody). Most of the votes that were cast for Demirtaş were from the Kurdish south-east. Emboldened by

826-403: A board rejected the project as not serving the public interest. However a higher board overturned this on 1 May, in a move park activists said was influenced by the government. The ground floor of the rebuilt barracks was expected to house a shopping mall, and the upper floors luxury flats, although in response to the protests the likelihood of a shopping mall was downplayed, and the possibility of

944-591: A boost in popularity. In order to maximise their votes, the party's co-leader Figen Yüksekdağ announced that the HDP would begin negotiations with the United June Movement , a socialist intellectual and political platform that includes left-wing parties such as the Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP) and the Labour Party (EMEP). Negotiations between parties began taking place in early 2015, with

1062-646: A capacity for 150 million passengers per year) were also influential in the public sensitivity for protecting Gezi Park . According to official Turkish government data, a total of 2,330,012 trees have been cut for constructing the Istanbul International Airport and its road connections; and a total of 381,096 trees have been cut for constructing the highway connections of the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge; reaching an overall total of 2,711,108 trees which were cut for

1180-405: A co-presidential system, whereby the party is chaired by one chairman and one chairwoman, elected during party congresses. Since its establishment in 2012, the party has had a total of ten leaders, five men and five women. The current leaders were elected at the 4th Congress of the Peoples' Democratic Party on the 23 February 2020. The following is a list of the current and previous chairpersons of

1298-525: A history of police brutality , the attack on a peaceful sit-in by environmentalists was different enough to spur wider outrage than such previous incidents, developing into the largest protests in Turkey in decades. The large number of trees that were cut in the forests of northern Istanbul for the construction of the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge (Third Bosphorus Bridge) and the new Istanbul Airport (the world's largest airport, with

SECTION 10

#1732780114642

1416-661: A lawsuit demanding the closure of the HDP at the Constitutional Court of Turkey due to the parties alleged organizational links with the PKK. He also called for a five-year ban from politics for 687 HDP politicians. Amongst the politicians who are to be banned from politics figure all former party leaders including Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ and dozens of former and current members of parliament. The Turkish Justice and Development Party (AKP) government began

1534-474: A left-wing party, the HDP has been accused of negotiating with the conservative orientated right-wing Justice and Development Party (AKP) behind closed doors on issues mainly surrounding the Solution process to the Kurdish separatist militants. Critics of the government and the HDP alleged that such talks could lead to a potential coalition between the AKP and HDP in the event that the HDP enters parliament and

1652-470: A major role towards the success in the parliamentary elections of June 2015 . At around 21:30 ( UTC+3 ) on December 17, 2016, four masked people attacked the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) office in the Beylikdüzü district of Istanbul , which is located at a shopping mall. The attackers managed to overcome the security personnel and started a fire which caused the explosions of the two gas tubes inside

1770-851: A meeting with the members of Taksim Solidarity in Ankara . When a member says that those protests have a sociological aspect, he gets angry and leaves the meeting saying "We are not going to learn what sociology is from you!". Justice and Development Party organises a mass rally called "Respect to National Will" in Ankara. Talking at the rally, PM Recep Tayyip Erdoğan says that "If protesters don't move out of Gezi Park, police forces will intervene". At about 17:30, police forces begin making announcements to protesters telling to leave Gezi Park. Police forces make an assault about 20:50 and clear Gezi Park. Protesters move to areas around İstiklal Street and clash with police. Meanwhile, about 5,000 protesters gather at

1888-475: A message to the congress stating that "We have never considered our movement apart from Turkey's revolutionary and socialist movements. We have always regarded ourselves as an integral part of this outcome" and "we have to consider the HDP as an integral part of the historical democratic dialogue and negotiation process. If socialism and an open democracy succeed in Turkey, it will be closely related to this democratic negotiation process." Öcalan's niece Dilek Öcalan

2006-575: A museum raised. The main contractor for the project is the Kalyon Group , described in 2013 by BBC News as "a company which has close ties with the governing AKP." The Gezi Park protests began in April, having started with a petition in December 2012. The protests were renewed on 27 May, culminating in the creation of an encampment occupying the park. A raid on this encampment on 29 May prompted outrage and wider protests. Although Turkey has

2124-445: A new perspective that overcomes the traditional Turkish versus Kurdish divide. The HDP instead aims to collectively represent people of all ethnic or religious backgrounds and to safeguard their civil liberties by bringing about direct democracy and an end to capitalist exploitation. The party has long advocated the establishment of local 'people's parliaments' to increase democratic representation and decentralisation of power. Much of

2242-504: A not very plausible 'attack' on their own for the benefit of the cameras." These claims were rejected by the governor of Istanbul, Hüseyin Avni Mutlu . After police tries to enter Gezi park, clashes continue throughout the night and CNN International makes an eight-hour live coverage. Pro-government media accuses CNN and Christiane Amanpour of deliberately showing Turkey in a state of civil war. PM Recep Tayyip Erdoğan holds

2360-427: A party that aims to eliminate the exploitation of labour and to fundamentally re-establish a democracy in which honourable and humanitarian individuals can live together as equal citizens. It was further described as a party aiming to bring about fundamental change to the existing Capitalist system though uniting a wide range of left-wing opposition movements. Gök claimed that any political movement with similar aims to

2478-589: A party within the Progressive Alliance (PA). Aspiring to fundamentally challenge the existing Turkish–Kurdish divide and other existing parameters in Turkish politics, the HDP was founded in 2012 as the political wing of the Peoples' Democratic Congress , a union of numerous left-wing movements that had previously fielded candidates as independents to bypass the 10% election threshold . The HDP

SECTION 20

#1732780114642

2596-550: A peace process with the PKK in 2013, consisting of a withdrawal of militants from Turkish soil and negotiations towards normalisation following nearly 30 years of armed conflict between Kurdish rebels and the Turkish Armed Forces . As a strong advocate of minority rights, the HDP was involved in negotiations with both the government and also the imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan on İmralı Island . Despite being

2714-625: A persecuted minority, or forcibly assimilated. This has led them to support leftist and parties which defended Kurdish cultural rights. This began with the People's Labor Party (HEP) and continued with the Freedom and Equality Party (ÖZEP) in June 1992, the Freedom and Democracy Party (ÖZDEP) in October 1992, the Democracy Party (DEP) in 1993, the People's Democracy Party (HADEP) in 1994,

2832-445: A plan which failed to gain the support of prominent Muslim leaders from Trabzon. In 2012 and 2013, structural weaknesses in Turkey's economy were becoming more apparent. Economic growth slowed considerably in 2012 from 8.8% in 2011 to 2.2% in 2012 and forecasts for 2013 were below trend. Unemployment remained high at at least 9% and the current account deficit was growing to over 6% of GDP. A key issue Erdoğan campaigned for prior to

2950-613: A prosecutor initiated an investigation into the attendance of Feleknas Uca and Mehmet Rüştü Tiryaki to a funeral ceremony of a member of the People's Defence Forces (HPG), the armed wing of the PKK in their electoral district Batman . In November 2016 the party Co-Chairs MPs Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ as well as the HDP MPs Nursel Aydogan , Idris Baluken , Leyla Birlik , Ferhat Encü , Selma Irmak , Abdullah Zeydan , Nihat Akdoğan and Gülser Yildirim have been arrested. From September 2016 onward,

3068-538: A range of restrictions on human rights, most notably freedom of speech and freedom of the press , despite improvements resulting from the accession process to the European Union . Since 2011, the AKP has increased restrictions on freedom of speech, freedom of the press, Internet use, television content, and the right to free assembly. It has also developed links with Turkish media groups , and used administrative and legal measures (including, in one case ,

3186-614: Is in an alliance with the Kurdish Democratic Regions Party (DBP), often described as the HDP's fraternal party . From 2013 to 2015, the politicians of the DBP participated in peace negotiations between the Turkish government and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The party operates a co-presidential system of leadership, with one chairman and one chairwoman. In the 2014 presidential election ,

3304-469: The 2002 , 2007 and 2011 elections by large margins. Under its rule the economy of Turkey recovered from the 2001 financial crisis and recession, driven in particular by a construction boom. At the same time, particularly since 2011, it has been accused of driving forward an Islamist agenda, having undermined the secularist influence of the Turkish Army . During the same period it also increased

3422-601: The 2014 presidential election and also announced that they would not be running in the June 2015 general election . The HDP is seen as the Turkish variant of the Greek SYRIZA and the Spanish Podemos parties, similar in their anti-capitalist stance. The founding co-chairs of the HDP, Yavuz Önen and Fatma Gök, both emphasized the HDP's fundamental principle of rejecting capitalism and "labour exploitation" for

3540-797: The 2019 Turkish local elections opposition politician and Mayor of Istanbul Ekrem İmamoğlu stated that the ban can't be unruled as the right to give permission to demonstrations lies with the governorship and the governors of Turkish provinces are not elected but directly appointed by the presidency . 2013%E2%80%9314 protests in Turkey Anti-government protesters 61st Government of Turkey Others Non-centralised leadership 7,548,500 actively in person during June in Istanbul alone (unofficial estimate) at least 3,545,000 actively in person (government estimate) A wave of demonstrations and civil unrest in Turkey began on 28 May 2013, initially to contest

3658-802: The Democratic People's Party (DEHAP) in 1997, the Democratic Society Party (DTP) in 2005, the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) in 2008 and finally the Democratic Regions Party (DBP) in 2014. Most of these parties were closed down for allegedly violating the constitution. While the HDP is also affiliated with the Peace and Democracy Party and the Democratic Regions Party, it aims to establish

Istanbul Pride - Misplaced Pages Continue

3776-544: The European Court of Human Rights for their verdicts. The HDP responded that the same images are already used by the HDP themselves since over six months in their press releases. The Presidential spokesperson Fahrettin Altun equated the HDP with the PKK. The peace process was nearly disbanded after pro-Kurdish protests and riots broke out in south-eastern Turkey protesting the lack of government intervention against

3894-652: The Gezi Park protests . A message from the imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan , emphasizing the party's support for a decentralization of power and for the establishment of localized 'people's parliaments', was also read out. 105 sitting and 25 reserve members were elected to the Party Council. The party's 2nd extraordinary congress was again held in the Ahmet Taner Kışlalı Stadium on 22 June 2014. 156 delegates were eligible to cast votes to elect

4012-585: The Interior Ministry filed a criminal complaint about four HDP members, including former deputy Mülkiye Birtane, for making terror propaganda . On 1 March 2018, the HDP's deputy Dilek Öcalan , the niece of Abdullah Öcalan , the founding leader of the PKK, was sentenced to two years and six months in prison for making terror propaganda. Two months later, the membership of two deputies, Osman Baydemir and Selma Irmak , were revoked after they were convicted and sentenced on criminal charges related to

4130-532: The Peoples' Democratic Congress and had participated in the establishment of the HDP in 2012. However, the EMEP released a statement on 17 June 2014, announcing a split with the HDP. The split was attributed to the restructuring of the Kurdish nationalist Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) into a local-only party under the new name Democratic Regions Party (DBP), while the BDP's parliamentary caucus would be integrated into

4248-458: The first Nagorno-Karabakh War . The HDP is the only major political party in Turkey that does not support Armenian genocide denial and urges Turkey to set up a truth commission and take responsibility regarding their role in World War I . Although the HDP has been part of anti-NATO protests before, the party has abstained from participating in parliamentary votes on NATO enlargement, such as

4366-552: The interim election government formed by AKP Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu on 28 August 2015, with HDP MPs Ali Haydar Konca and Müslüm Doğan becoming the Minister of European Union Affairs and the Minister of Development respectively. The party governs the municipalities in which they have won the elections in a co-mayoralty constituted by a woman and a man. Witnessing the 2016 Turkish coup attempt and pointing out previous repression of democratic forces by martial powers,

4484-477: The terror attacks that have taken place in our country and the area; because provocative acts and events may take place when the sensitivities that have emerged in society are taken into account; and because it may cause a disruption in public order and the people's- including the participants of the event- tranquility, security, and welfare.". Supporters of the Pride claimed this decision was religiously motivated and

4602-534: The urban development plan for Istanbul 's Taksim Gezi Park . The protests were sparked by outrage at the violent eviction of a sit-in at the park protesting the plan. Subsequently, supporting protests and strikes took place across Turkey, protesting against a wide range of concerns at the core of which were issues of freedom of the press, of expression and of assembly, as well as the AKP government's erosion of Turkey's secularism . With no centralised leadership beyond

4720-680: The 10% parliamentary threshold under the 'Labour, Democracy and Freedom Block'. 36 members were elected, though the election of Hatip Dicle was later annulled by the Supreme Electoral Council and this number subsequently fell to 35. Fatma Gök, one of the HDP's founding chairpersons, described the HDK as a means of providing political hope to citizens and also as a way of intervening in the Turkish political system . The HDK operated by organising conferences and congresses, establishing

4838-648: The 2011 election was to rewrite the military-written constitution from 1982. Key amongst Erdoğan's demands were for Turkey to transform the role of President from that of a ceremonial role to an executive presidential republic with emboldened powers and for him to be elected president in the 2014 presidential elections. To submit such proposals to a referendum needs 330 out of 550 votes in the Grand National Assembly and to approve without referendum by parliament requires 367 out of 550 votes (a two-thirds majority)—the AKP currently holds only 326 seats. As such

Istanbul Pride - Misplaced Pages Continue

4956-515: The 550 candidates, 268 were women. In 2015, Barış Sulu was the first openly gay parliamentary candidate in Turkey as a candidate of the HDP. Support for the HDP among Alevis rose from 7% to 16% between June 2015 and June 2018. The People's Democratic Party originates from the Peoples' Democratic Congress ( Halkların Demokratik Kongresi , HDK), a platform composed of various groups including left wing parties Revolutionary Socialist Workers' Party (DSIP), Labour Party (EMEP), Socialist Party of

5074-407: The 9.77% of the vote won by HDP co-leader Selahattin Demirtaş in the 2014 presidential election the HDP contested the election by fielding party candidates rather than independent candidates. This was controversial since the HDP's votes would be lost in the event that the HDP failed to win above 10% of the vote. There was speculation as to whether the AKP forced Öcalan to pressure the HDP to contest

5192-560: The AKP did not do more to bring lasting peace in the southeast. On 15 July, Demirtaş outlined his road-map for his presidency should he win the election. In a speech lasting just under an hour, he proposed that the Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) should be disbanded, that compulsory religion lessons in schools should be removed and that Cemevis (the Alevi houses of worship) should receive national recognition. He also proposed

5310-575: The AKP does not win a majority. Such a coalition could potentially deliver Kurdish nationalist demands to the south-east of Turkey while the HDP support the AKP's long-time policy of introducing a presidential system in place of the existing parliamentary system . In March, AKP Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç claimed that the HDP would be their partners in the solution process and expressed his wish to work in harmony, though also accused some HDP MPs of not working towards lasting peace with sincerity. In contrast, government minister Bekir Bozdağ accused

5428-480: The AKP of scaremongering when they claimed that their affiliation to the PKK made them unfit for parliamentary representation. PKK militants have also been accused of raiding local shops and cafes in the south-east of Turkey and demanding votes for the HDP, with one civilian being wounded when a group of PKK youth militants raided a cafe in Silvan . Selahattin Demirtaş has denied having an 'organic relationship' with

5546-691: The Asian side of Istanbul and begin marching towards the European side. Riot police forces disperse the protesters with tear gas before reaching the Bosphorus Bridge . Heavy clashes between police and protesters continue until morning at various parts of Istanbul . Justice and Development Party organises its second rally at Istanbul Kazlıçeşme Square. A general strike and protests organised by five trade unions take place in almost every part of Turkey. Strikes doesn't have any negative effect on

5664-476: The BDP running in Turkey's Kurdish-dominated southeast while the HDP competed in the rest of the country except Mersin Province and Konya Province where BDP launched its own candidates. After the local elections, the two parties were re-organised in a joint structure. On 28 April 2014, the entire parliamentary caucus of BDP joined HDP, whereas BDP (itself re-organised as the Democratic Regions Party by July)

5782-402: The BDP, Sebahat Tuncel , Sırrı Süreyya Önder , and Ertuğrul Kürkçü abdicated in October 2013 to join the HDP. Levent Tüzel , former Labour Party chairman and independent member of parliament also joined the three to form a caucus. In April 2014, 24 more parliamentarians from the BDP joined the HDP, which following formed a parliamentary group. The Labour Party (EMEP) had been a member of

5900-424: The HDK that had not merged with the party was more than welcome to do so. However, Önen claimed that the HDP would be entering elections as an individual party and not as part of a wider electoral alliance, adding that the party is itself formed of a wide coalition of political forces in the first place. Concerns were raised that the inclusion of the Kurdish nationalist HDK member Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) in

6018-547: The HDP as a means of fulfilling their political goals and establishing a means of having political influence. The formal application of the HDK for political party status was delivered to the Ministry of the Interior on 15 October 2012. One of the party's chairpersons, Yavuz Önen, claimed that the party would be the political wing of the HDK and not a replacement for it. The HDP was described by its founding chairpersons as

SECTION 50

#1732780114642

6136-486: The HDP had caused controversy by not displaying any Turkish flags . In response, Demirtaş had maintained that the HDP respected the flag, stating that the flag represented all citizens of Turkey. The party addresses a wide spectrum of voters, having had candidates of different gender and social, national and religious background. A high proportion of women, as well as Alevi , Armenian, Yazidi , and Assyrian candidates mixed with Turkish left-wing politician candidates played

6254-413: The HDP of being part of an 'international project' intending to destabilise the government of Turkey. Relations seemed to sour in early April, where the HDP accused the AKP of staging a pre-planned attack against PKK members in the province of Ağrı aimed at gathering more votes in the upcoming general election. In response, Deputy Prime Minister Yalçın Akdoğan accused Selahattin Demirtaş of acting like

6372-567: The HDP strongly opposed the coup. The HDP was first ignored and left out of the post-coup national truce while the Turkish purges targeted alleged members of the Gülen movement . From September 2016, the Turkish judiciary started to submit HDP elected officials to anti-terrorism accusations. Several HDP parliamentarians have been imprisoned in November 2016 including the party co-chairs Selahattin Demirtaş , and Figen Yüksekdağ , widely disturbing

6490-408: The HDP to prove itself to be a peaceful political party. Nevertheless, the solution process continued despite the riots, with ISIL being completely ejected from Kobanî by April 2015. HDP MP Altan Tan later claimed that his party had miscalculated the consequences of calling for more protests, although his statements were met with opposition from the confederalist KCK organisation. The HDP operates

6608-403: The HDP would raise allegations that the HDP was also a mainly Kurdish orientated party. However, Önen claimed that the HDP's key goal was to establish a different perspective of viewing the Turkish political scene and moving away from the existing 'Kurdish versus Turkish' dichotomy that had become institutionally entrenched within Turkish political perceptions. Three outstanding parliamentarians of

6726-412: The HDP's ability to communicate and be active on the political scene. In December 2020 HDP co-deputy head for local governments, Salim Kaplan said that "since 2016, 20,000 of our members have been taken into custody and more than 10,000 of our members and executives have been sent to jail", and 48 municipalities have been seized by the government. The ruling AKP accuses the HDP of having direct links with

6844-524: The HDP, showing the names, birth and death dates where applicable and also the start and end dates of their leadership. (Born–Died) (Born–Died) (1938–) (1948–) (1979–) (1965–) In the Extraordinary HDP congress held on 22 June 2014, the outgoing co-chairpersons Ertuğrul Kürkçü and Sebahat Tuncel was by an amendment in the HDP Bylaw awarded the status of

6962-462: The HDP. This would, in turn, require the HDP's constitution to be altered in order to ensure greater compliance and conformity with the ideology of the BDP. This caused the EMEP to formally announce their secession from the HDP, but stated that they would continue their participation with the HDK. Despite the split, the Labour Party endorsed the HDP presidential candidate Selahattin Demirtaş for

7080-475: The Honorary Presidents. Kürkçü and Tuncel are the first co-presidents to serve in that capacity. (1948–) (1975–) The party has held several ordinary congresses throughout different cities, mostly focussing on provinces in south-eastern Turkey. So far, the party has had two nationwide extraordinary congresses, held in 2013 and 2014, where elections were held to select the chairpersons of

7198-634: The Oppressed (ESP), Socialist Democracy Party (SDP), Socialist Party of Refoundation , the Greens and the Left Party of the Future , the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), some far-left factions, feminist groups, LGBT groups, trade unions and ethnic initiatives representing Alevis , Armenians , and Pomaks . In the 2011 general election , the HDK fielded 61 independent candidates in order to bypass

SECTION 60

#1732780114642

7316-548: The PKK and claimed that the allegations of PKK militants demanding votes for the HDP from voters was untrue. According to the pro-government daily Daily Sabah , the HDP members have long been accused of voicing their support for the Kurdistan Workers' Party and glorifying terrorism committed by the organization. Selahattin Demirtas, whose older brother is a member of the Kurdistan Workers' Party , has been accused by pro-Turkish government newspaper Daily Sabah of supporting

7434-458: The PKK's leader Abdullah Öcalan in a 2016 speech in Nowruz . Members of the party have been also accused of providing financial support to the PKK and attending the funeral of killed rebels. On 15 June 2016, the HDP was criticized after its members attended the funeral of Eylem Yaşa, a suicide bomber who had killed police officers and civilians, and injured 51 others in Istanbul. In July 2018,

7552-468: The PKK, and the party had been defending itself against prohibition in March 2021, until the case was dropped. The HDP first participated in the 2014 local elections , where it ran in most provinces in western Turkey while the DBP ran in the Kurdish south-east. The two parties combined gained 6.2% of the total votes but HDP failed to win any municipalities. The 21 MPs from the Peace and Democracy Party ,

7670-467: The PKK. In the same month, the former deputy Aysel Tuğluk was sentenced to ten years in prison for being a member of a terror organization (PKK). In August 2018, a former deputy Leyla Birlik fled to Greece where she reportedly sought asylum. According to the Turkish sources, she had been arrested in November 2016 for making terror propaganda and released pending trial, but she had left the country despite her travelling ban. On 11 August 2018, one of

7788-585: The Police. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Istanbul Pride was held online in 2020. Some activists gathered in person at Mis Sokak, which had been the finale of the 2003 parade. The trend of suppression has continued. Blockades and tear gas were used in 2021 and 25 people were arrested. in 2022, 373 were arrested. In addition to blockades, public transportation to Taksim square was shut down. LGBT organizations Other institutions and organizations that contribute to

7906-549: The Turkish Ministry of the Interior . In June 2020, Leyla Güven and Musa Farisogullari were stripped of their parliamentarian immunity and arrested. Two of their MPs had to defend themselves from having attended a Democracy March in protest of the dismissal of Farisoğullari and Güven in the midst of the spark of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since February 2021, several parliamentarians are faced with investigations into

8024-632: The Turkish Parliament revoked her parliamentary membership on the 21 February 2017 and on the 9 March 2017 the Supreme Court of Appeal ruled she was no longer a member of the HDP. Formed in 2012, the HDP has since contested two local, two presidential and three general election. A summary of the results and number of candidates elected is shown below. Pervin Buldan At the 2014 municipal elections , HDP ran parallel to BDP, with

8142-440: The Turkish judiciary started submitting HDP supporters, staff and elected officials to anti-terrorism accusations. On the 20 May 2016, the Turkish Parliament voted in favor to enabling the lifting of MPs immunity, following which 54 of the 59 HDP MPs were prosecuted on terrorism-related charges. As of June 2017, more than 10 HDP representatives were under arrest, widely disturbing the HDP's ability to communicate and remain active in

8260-440: The advance of ISIL militants on the city of Kobanî in Syria , just south of the Turkish border. The HDP openly supported the protests, while calling for non-violence. Protestors were met with tear gas and water cannon , leading to more than 40 deaths. Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu heavily criticised the HDP for calling for more protests and responded by drafting a heavily controversial domestic security bill and calling for

8378-427: The ban, they were met with tear gas and rubber bullets. 11 participants were arrested. In 2019, the Istanbul Governor's Office yet again banned the LGBT Pride Parade, citing security concerns and public order. subsequently, opposition Member of the Grand National Assembly Sezgin Tanrıkulu of the Republican People's Party (CHP) lodged a parliamentary question to the Vice President of Turkey Fuat Oktay asking why

8496-409: The benefit of all Turkish citizens regardless of race, gender or religion. The party in this sense is therefore secular , though has refrained from endorsing the secularism enshrined in the principles of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk . The HDP has also called for a new constitution that enshrines minority rights for Kurds, Alevis and other minorities. Kurdish peoples living in Turkey have long been

8614-461: The building. One police officer and a security guard sustained minor injuries. That same night, shots were fired by unidentified assailants at the HDP headquarters in Darıca , Kocaeli Province . Attacks on other HDP offices across the country were also reported, including İzmir , Çanakkale , Hatay , Ankara , and Erzincan . The HDP maintained talks with Abdullah Öcalan through which Öcalan gave

8732-457: The constitutional commission requires agreement from opposition parties, namely the CHP, MHP and BDP who have largely objected to such proposals. Moreover, the constitutional courts have ruled that current president Abdullah Gül is permitted to run for the 2014 elections, who is widely rumoured to have increasingly tense relations and competition with Erdoğan. Furthermore, many members of parliament in

8850-679: The construction of waste-dumps, nuclear and coal power plants, mines, factories and hydroelectric dams. 24 local musicians and activists in 2012 created a video entitled "Diren Karadeniz" ("Resist, Black Sea"), which prefigured the ubiquitous Gezi Park slogan "Diren Gezi". The government's stance on the civil war in Syria is another cause of social tension in the country. Controversy within progressive communities has been sparked by plans to turn Turkey's former Christian Hagia Sophia churches (now mosque) in Trabzon and possibly Istanbul into mosques,

8968-727: The daily life which led criticism of unions and their power. The "Standing Man", Erdem Gündüz starts his silent protest in the evening. Similar protests consisting of simply stopping and standing still spread everywhere in Turkey. President Abdullah Gül announces suspension of Gezi Park redevelopment plans. An investigation regarding police brutality is opened and some officers dismissed. Peoples%27 Democratic Party (Turkey) Democratic socialism Secularism Progressivism Social democracy Left-wing populism Regionalism Feminism The Peoples' Democratic Party ( Turkish : Halkların Demokratik Partisi , acronymized as HDP ; Kurdish : Partiya Demokratîk

9086-484: The denials were based on security concerns and public order, but critics claimed the bans were taken on a religious and ideological basis. Despite the refusal, hundreds of people defied the ban each year, which resulted in law enforcement intervention. Politicians that have joined Istanbul Pride are mainly from the opposition parties Republican People's Party (CHP) and Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP). The event first took place in 2003 and now occurs each year on either

9204-497: The deputies of the party, Mahmud Togrul, was sentenced to 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 years in prison for making terror propaganda. Two months later, the former lawmaker Sırrı Süreyya Önder was sentenced to three years and six months in jail for spreading terror propaganda. In September 2020, the Turkish Government ordered the detention of the current mayor of Kars Ayhan Bilgen, together with other prominent HDP figures like

9322-484: The deputy governor of Istanbul had banned Istanbul Pride. He also asked how many LGBT members had been killed in the last 17 years, the time the ruling party Justice and Development Party (AKP) ruled the city, due to provocative hate speech, and raised concerns over discrimination against the LGBT community. On 29 June, hundreds of people defied the ban, they were met with tear gas, shields, pepper gas and plastic bullets from

9440-443: The derivative " chapulling ", given the meaning of "fighting for your rights"). Many users on Twitter also changed their screenname and used çapulcu instead. According to various analysts, the protests were the most challenging events for Erdoğan's ten-year term and the most significant showing of nationwide disquiet in decades. The Justice and Development Party (AKP) led by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has governed since 2002, winning

9558-402: The election as a party in order to boost their own number of MPs. The party charged a ₺2,000 application fee for prospective male candidates, a ₺1,000 fee for female and young candidates under the age of 27 and no fee was collected from disabled applicants. Applications for candidacy were received between 16 February and 2 March. According to a private poll conducted by the HDP in January 2015,

9676-540: The established political system. 100 sitting and 50 reserve members for the Party Council were elected. Outgoing chairpersons Ertuğrul Kürkçü and Sebahat Tuncel were declared Honorary Presidents of the party. In the HDPs 3rd Extraordinary Congress on 20 May 2017, Serpil Kemalbay was elected as the new chairwoman while Selahattin Demirtaş was confirmed as its chairman. The party's previous female party leader, Figen Yüksekdağ , had been imprisoned in November 2016, and

9794-660: The event was banned because it would have take during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan . In 2017 the Istanbul Governor's Office yet again banned the LGBT Pride Parade, citing security concerns and public order. In 2018, for the fourth consecutive year the Istanbul Governor's Office yet again banned the LGBT Pride Parade, citing security concerns and public order, but around 1,000 people defied

9912-475: The events. He continued to direct applause to the mother of the murdered teenager Berkin Elvan , who died 269 days after being hit by a tear gas canister during the protests and falling into a coma. On the issue of the lack of Turkish flags within the hall in which he was delivering his speech, Demirtaş stated that the Turkish flag represented all citizens of Turkey. His slogan is "Bir Cumhurbaşkanı Düşün" (Imagine

10030-585: The former MPs Ayla Akat Ata or Sırri Süreyya Önder due to their support of the Kobani protests in 2014 which were held in support of the Kurdish population besieged in Kobani by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). By October 2020, Duvar reported that only six out of the sixty-five elected mayors of the HDP were still acting as mayors. The other mayors were replaced by state imposed trustees of

10148-456: The gay pride parade. In 2016 the pride march was banned by the local government "for the safety of our citizens, first and foremost the participants’, and for public order." LGBT organizations have also not been allowed to make a press statement. The governate of Istanbul once again claimed that a gathering of LGBT would not be allowed. "Within Law No: 5442, this request has not been approved due to

10266-549: The governing AKP have internally also objected by arguing that the current presidential system suffices. Erdoğan himself was barred from running for a fourth term as prime minister in the 2015 general elections due to AKP by-laws, largely sparking accusations from the public that Erdoğan's proposals were stated in light of him only intending to prolong his rule as the most dominant figure in politics. The constitutional proposals have mostly so far been delayed in deliberations or lacked any broad agreement for reforms. The initial cause of

10384-483: The government has run roughshod over the projects' opponents in a dismissive manner, asserting that anyone who does not like what is taking place should remember how popular the AKP has been when elections roll around." Environmental issues , especially since the 2010 decision of the government to build additional nuclear power plants and the third bridge , led to continued demonstrations in Istanbul and Ankara. The Black Sea Region has seen dozens of protests against

10502-535: The head by a riot policeman during the protests at Ankara Kizilay Square . He dies 14 days later due to his injuries. PM Recep Tayyip Erdoğan describes the protesters as "a few looters" in a televised interview. He also criticises social media, calling Twitter a "menace" and an "extreme version of lying". At night, police forces try to disperse protesters gathered at Beşiktaş district. Clashes between police and protesters continue until next morning. Beşiktaş football team supporter group Çarşı members hijack

10620-460: The image "encapsulates Turkey's protests and the severe police crackdown", while Reuters calls the image an "iconic leitmotif ." The size of the protests grows. Police raid the protesters' encampments. Online activists' calls for support against the police crackdown increase the number of sit-in protesters by the evening. Police carry out another raid on the encampment in the early morning of 31 May, using water cannons and tear gas to disperse

10738-440: The introduction of "People's Parliaments" (Cumhur meclisleri) , which would also incorporate Youth Parliaments to increase representation of young citizens. Pushing for a new constitution, Demirtaş outlined the need to end the non-representation of different cultures, languages, races and beliefs without delay to ensure national stability. Also in his speech, he praised the Gezi Park protests and displayed photos of himself during

10856-503: The last Sunday of June or the first Sunday of July, to mark the end of Istanbul pride week. About 30 people took part in the first Gay Pride Istanbul. The numbers have increased exponentially each year, reaching roughly 5,000 people by 2010. The 2011 gathering attracted over 10,000 people, therefore making Gay Pride Istanbul the biggest march of its kind in the Muslim majority countries. The 2012 pride march, which took place on 1 July, attracted between 10,000 and 30,000 people. On 30 June 2013,

10974-493: The lifting of their parliamentarian immunity due to the parties involvement in the protests during the Siege of Kobani in October 2014. Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu was stripped of his parliamentary membership on 17 March 2021 due a conviction for spreading "terror propaganda" in a tweet of 2016 supporting eventual peace negotiations with the PKK. On the same day the state prosecutor of the Supreme Court of Appeals Bekir Şahin filed

11092-400: The new chairman and chairwoman. Since a majority could not be secured in the first two rounds of voting, the leadership election proceeded into a third round where Selahattin Demirtaş was elected as the chairman and Figen Yüksekdağ was elected as the chairwoman of the party. Speeches by the elected leaders mainly centred on the corruption within the Turkish government and also opposition to

11210-604: The original Gezi Park protest. Twenty-two people were killed and more than 8,000 were injured, many critically. The sit-in at Taksim Gezi Park was restored after police withdrew from Taksim Square on 1 June, and developed into a protest camp , with thousands of protesters in tents, organising a library, medical centre, food distribution and their own media. After the Gezi Park camp was cleared by riot police on 15 June, protesters began to meet in other parks all around Turkey and organised public forums to discuss ways forward for

11328-468: The party needed to gather around 600,000 more supporters by the general election in order to surpass the election threshold of 10% and win 72 MPs. Polling organisations such as Metropoll, however, predicted that the party would win around 55 MPs if they won more than 10%. HDP candidates hoped that the victory of the left-wing SYRIZA in the January 2015 Greek legislative election in January would result in

11446-413: The party put forward its chairman, Selahattin Demirtaş , who won 9.77% of the vote. Despite concerns that it could fall short of the 10% election threshold , the party put forward party-lists instead of running independent candidates in the subsequent June 2015 general election . Exceeding expectations, it polled at 13.12%, becoming the third largest parliamentary group. The party briefly participated in

11564-414: The party's attempts to unite citizens throughout Turkey is through the opposition to the governing conservative Justice and Development Party (AKP), which the HDP has accused of being authoritarian , exploitative and discriminatory against religious minorities. The HDP's foreign policy also involves opening the border to Armenia which has been closed since 1993 due to Turkey support of Azerbaijan during

11682-571: The party. The party's 1st extraordinary congress was held in the Ahmet Taner Kışlalı Stadium in Ankara on 27 October 2013. The HDP Executive Board and the Congressional Preparation Council both recommended Ertuğrul Kürkçü and Sebahat Tuncel for the positions of chairman and chairwoman respectively, after which both formally assumed their positions. The congress focussed mainly in voicing support for

11800-408: The political scene. On June 5, the Turkish interior ministry announced that 130 people who are outside the country while being suspected of militant links will lose their citizenship unless they return to Turkey within three months and meet government standards. Three of the suspects are HDP leaders: Faysal Sarıyıldız , Tuğba Hezer Öztürk , and Özdal Üçer  [ tr ] . In March 2018, it

11918-468: The predecessor of the DBP, joined the HDP on 28 August 2014. For the June 2015 general election , the HDP took the decision to field candidates as a party despite the danger of potentially falling below the 10% threshold. Even though most of the politicians from HDP are secular left-wing Kurds, the candidate list included devout Muslims , socialists , Alevis , Armenians , Assyrians , Azerbaijanis , Circassians , Lazi , Romanis and LGBT activists. Of

12036-631: The pride march are: Politicians that have joined Istanbul Pride are mainly from the opposition parties HDP and CHP , and include: They call upon the Turkish authorities to guarantee fundamental rights and civil liberties to all LGBT people. In 2019, several opposition held municipalities have shown support to the LGBTI community on social media. Mersin , Edirne , Tarsus , Eskişehir , İzmir , Bodrum . Istanbul's local governments such as Ataşehir , Beşiktaş , Şişli , Kadıköy , Maltepe , Kartal also showed their sympathy. In 2019, shortly after

12154-404: The pride parade attracted almost 100,000 people. The protesters were joined by Gezi Park protesters , making the 2013 Istanbul Pride the biggest pride ever held in Turkey. The 2014 pride attracted more than 100,000 people. The European Union praised Turkey that the parade went ahead without disruption. On Sunday 29 June 2015, Reuters reported that Turkish police used a water cannon to disperse

12272-842: The process decided earlier had been declared as "on-hold". 10,000 gather in Istiklal Avenue. According to governor Hüseyin Avni Mutlu , 63 people are arrested and detained. Police use of tear gas is criticised for being "indiscriminate." The interior minister, Muammer Guler , says the claims of the use of disproportionate force would be investigated. Clashes continue throughout the day. Republican People's Party leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu announce that they will move their planned rally to Taksim Square instead of Kadıköy. Prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan says he has approved that decision. Around 15:45 police forces retreat from Taksim Square. Thousands of protesters gather at Gezi Park and Taksim Square. Protester Ethem Sarısülük gets shot in

12390-538: The protesters saying "We are barely holding the 50 percent (that voted for us) at home." Turkey's deputy prime minister Bulent Arinc offers an apology to protesters. 22-year Abdullah Cömert dies after being hit in the head by tear gas canister during the protests at Hatay . PM Recep Tayyip Erdoğan speaks to his supporters outside of Istanbul Atatürk Airport on his return from a four-day trip to North Africa. Erdoğan blames "interest rate lobbies" claiming they are behind Gezi protests. His supporters chant "Give us

12508-403: The protesters to surrounding areas and setting up barricades around the park to prevent re-occupation. Throughout the day, the police continue to fire tear gas, pepper spray and water cannons at demonstrators, resulting in reports of more than 100 injuries. MP Sırrı Süreyya Önder and journalist Ahmet Şık were hospitalised after being hit by tear gas canisters. The executive order regarding

12626-432: The protesters was described as being broad, encompassing both right - and left -wing individuals. Their complaints ranged from the original local environmental concerns to such issues as the authoritarianism of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, curbs on alcohol, a recent row about kissing in public, and the war in Syria . Protesters called themselves çapulcu (looters), reappropriating Erdoğan's insult for them (and coined

12744-519: The protests was the plan to remove Gezi Park , one of the few remaining green spaces in the center of the European side of Istanbul. The plan involved pedestrianising Taksim Square and rebuilding the Ottoman-era Taksim Military Barracks , which had been demolished in 1940. Development projects in Turkey involve "cultural preservation boards" which are supposed to be independent of the government, and in January such

12862-449: The protests. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan dismissed the protesters as "a few looters" on 2 June. Police suppressed the protests with tear gas and water cannons. In addition to the 11 deaths and over 8,000 injuries, more than 3,000 arrests were made. Police brutality and the overall absence of government dialogue with the protesters was criticised by some foreign governments and international organisations. The range of

12980-586: The small assembly that organised the original environmental protest, the protests have been compared to the Occupy movement and the May 1968 events . Social media played a key part in the protests, not least because much of the Turkish media downplayed the protests , particularly in the early stages. Three and a half million people (out of Turkey's population of 80 million) are estimated to have taken an active part in almost 5,000 demonstrations across Turkey connected with

13098-402: The state of emergency following the attempted coup d'état in 2016. The HDP appealed to the court that they should be allowed to assume, but the constitutional court denied the request. The HDP reported that after the municipal elections in 2014, more than 90 elected mayors of the HDP ally Democratic Regions Party (DBP) have been dismissed and dozens of them have been arrested as well. In 2016,

13216-406: The two projects. Police use tear gas to disperse the peaceful protesters and burn down their tents in order to allow the bulldozing to continue. Photos of the scene, such as an image of Ceyda Sungur , a young female protester (later nicknamed the "woman in red" ) holding her ground while being sprayed by a policeman, quickly spread throughout the world media. The Washington Post reports that

13334-793: The votes regarding Sweden and Finland in the Grand National Assembly. At the same time, some HDP MPs have previously been members of the Turkish Group of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly . The party's women branch criticized that the decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention which protects the rights of women, was taken by a single man. During a conference in Selahattin Demirtaş 's presidential election campaign,

13452-584: The way, we will crush Taksim Square". Riot police forces enter Taksim square early in the morning. They make announcements that they will not be entering Gezi Park and their mission is to open Taksim Square to traffic again. Most protesters gather at Gezi Park, but a small group carrying banners of the Socialist Democracy Party retaliate using molotov cocktails and slingshots. Some people like Luke Harding from The Guardian claims that undercover police threw molotov cocktails , "staging

13570-580: Was and nephew Ömer Öcalan is a member of parliament. The relationship between the HDP and the PKK has been put forward by the governing Justice and Development Party (AKP) as a reason why it would be better for the HDP to not gain representation in Parliament, though government journalists alleged that this would result in greater violence by the PKK and attempts to establish a separate parliament in Diyarbakır . In contrast, HDP politicians also accused

13688-519: Was approved by the parliament in 2012, with Erdoğan saying that he wanted to foster a "pious generation." The sale and consumption of alcohol in university campuses has been banned. People have been given jail sentences for blasphemy . While construction in Turkey has boomed and has been a major driver for the economy, this has involved little to no local consultation. For example, major construction projects in Istanbul have been "opposed by widespread coalitions of diverse interests. Yet in every case,

13806-536: Was assigned exclusively to representatives on the local administration level. Selahattin Demirtaş was announced as the HDP's candidate for the Presidency on 30 June. In a campaign dominated by the Solution process with Kurdish rebels, he claimed on 5 August in Van that the government of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had not done enough to bring forward promised legislation, and that the process would collapse immediately if

13924-458: Was reported that 11'000 HDP members have been detained, of which more than 3000 have been arrested. Also in the days the local elections of March 2019 , dozens of candidates for municipal councils were arrested over terror charges. The Council of Europe reported, that after the elections were held, six elected mayors as well as dozens of elected members of the municipal council were not allowed to assume their posts for having been dismissed during

#641358