Aqeel: The Turkish regime is using the terrorism law to abuse its opponents

The Maat Foundation for Peace, Development and Human Rights condemns the arrest, on Friday, of five of the presidents by the Turkish authorities

Municipalities in areas with a Kurdish majority, allegedly involved in terrorism-related issues, and subordinate to the mayors of Agadir, the mayor of Siirt, the deputy mayor of Bimandara Turhan, the mayor of Kurtalan Baran Akjul, and the mayor of Baikan district, Ramadan Sari Salmaz, who are detained for the HDP opposing the regime Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is pro-Kurdish.

The Turkish government accuses the HDP of having links with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), - despite the party’s denials - which led to the trial of thousands of its members and some of its leaders, and since the municipal elections were held in March 2019, the mayors have changed more than half The administrative centers that the party won, which amounted to about 65 administrative centers, and replaced them with trustees loyal to the ruling Justice and Development Party.

For his part, Ayman Aqil, head of the Maat Foundation, said that the Turkish government is using exceptional laws such as the Terrorism Law and before it the Emergency Law to abuse opponents, and Aqil added that since July 2016, the Turkish authorities have arrested tens of thousands of Turkish citizens for criticizing the Turkish regime, including the two leaders of the HDP, which The authorities charged them with terrorism-related charges, and the authorities dismissed dozens of mayors belonging to the People's Party and appointed other people loyal to the ruling regime in their place, claiming that there were links between the party and the PKK.

Aqeel called on the international community to press the Turkish government to stop pursuing opponents and release all detainees, explaining that the crackdowns carried out by the Turkish authorities against their opponents violate all international agreements and conventions signed by Turkey.