İSTANBUL- German Left Party co-chair Bern Riexinger’s demand to visit HDP co-chairs and PMs in prison were denied.


German Left Party co-chair Bern Riexinger and party’s parliamentarians came to İstanbul to solidarity with imprisoned Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) co-chairs Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ and parliamentarians. Riexinger made a press statement in HDP İstanbul Province Office. HDP group deputy chairperson Filiz Kerestecioğlu and HDP Diyarbakır Parliamentarian Feleknas Uca also attended to press statement. Kerestecioğlu read Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality co-mayor Gültan Kışanak’s message at begening of the meeting.


Then Kerestecioğlu thanked to Riexinger and parliamentarians for solidarity. After Kerestecioğlu statement, Riexinger mentioned that application for visiting HDP co-chairs and parliamentarians was denied but they will keep solidarity with HDP. “The target is obvious behind these arresting which is eliminating the opponents during the referendum campaign. So there is nothing about democracy on these implementations. They are accused on “being member of PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) just because of their speeches” said Riexinger.


Riexinger also spoke about relations between Germany and Turkey. “There is only reason collaboration between Germany and Erdoğan : Refugees. Erdoğan uses refugees as threat card and this thread is corresponding” said Riexinger.


European Parliament deputy Andrej Hunko “ I have been visiting Turkey for many times included visitations of prisons since 2010. But this time ministry denied our application. This is new for Turkey” said.