Aqil: The Turkish regime is practicing a systematic policy of targeting the opposition

Mukhtar: The international community should stand up to its responsibility regarding the human rights situation in Turkey

The Maat Foundation for Peace, Development and Human Rights condemns the arrest of the mayor of Sur in the Diyarbakir region in southeastern Turkey, Velez Bolotkin, on allegations of suspected links to Kurdish fighters, Friday, December 20, 2019, and Bolotkin belongs to the HDP and this comes within the framework of a campaign targeting mayors belonging to the party since the elections that were held. Conducted this year.

In this context, Ayman Aqil, head of the Maat Foundation, indicated that Turkey has suffered since July 2016 from the deterioration of the human rights situation after the Turkish regime has targeted opposition parties and groups with arrest campaigns and many violations that escalated under the emergency law imposed after the failed coup, and then the matter worsened by the application of the anti-terrorism law Under which many human rights have been violated. Where the Turkish President expanded and intensified the crackdown on his opponents, as well as journalists, civil society and others who demanded freedoms and the protection of human rights. Aqeel added that this constitutes a violation of Article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which stipulates that no person may be arbitrarily arrested, detained or exiled.

While Muhammad Mukhtar, a researcher at the Foundation's Middle East Unit, called on the Turkish authorities to stop targeting the opponents, explaining that this contravenes international agreements and conventions signed by Turkey, calling on the international community to stand on its responsibility towards the human rights situation in Turkey.