16 July 2016
The Socialist International condemns the attempt by military forces in Turkey last night and in the early hours of this morning, to bring down the legitimately elected government of the country.
Our organisation wholeheartedly shares and fully supports the clear and unequivocal statements made by the leaders of the CHP and the HDP, members of our global political family, as the coup attempt unfolds.
Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, leader of the CHP, said that the country had suffered previous coups and these developments should never be repeated in Turkey, adding that his party fully depends on the free will of the people, indispensable to Turkey’s parliamentary democracy.
Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ, co-chairs of the HDP, declared that no one is above the people’s will, and opposed any coup in any circumstance, underlining that there is no other way forward than democratic politics.
The Socialist International, as a global movement of political parties, has always placed democracy as the cornerstone in the struggle for freedoms and rights all over the world. It knows that democracy is the free expression of the people, it needs to be respected and nurtured, requires credible independent institutions including the judiciary, freedom of speech and of the media, and full respect for human rights.
We sincerely hope that these difficult times that Turkey is going through will be overcome, as the country needs a fully functioning democracy for the benefit of its people, of its neighbours and of all democratic nations in the world.
Our International expresses its full solidarity with all those defending democracy in Turkey.