Bakırhan reacts to allegations of 'torture and harassment' in custody! 'People are tired of being under threat...'

DEM Party Co-Chair Tuncer Bakırhan spoke at his party's group meeting in the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM). Starting his speech by mentioning the operation against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) on March 19 and the subsequent arrests that continued with protests and boycotts, Tuncer Bakırhan said the following:

"We have encountered images of torture that we have criticized and been subjected to many times before. There was a very heavy attack on students. Some media outlets engaged in heavy manipulation and distortion from the very beginning. Lawyers and bar associations could not meet with their clients. Some female friends were subjected to harassment. We cannot explain the existence of this to the Minister. We will follow up on this and we will not let it go. People are now tired of having no security of life and of having no future. People are tired of living under constant threat and pressure. People are angry that their dignity is being trampled upon and their will is being usurped. People are most reactive to the lack of a future. People say, 'You have stolen our future.' I call on the government to think carefully about this slogan."

Sending greetings to the ESP-affiliated detainees who have started a hunger strike in prison, Bakırhan demanded that political prisoners be released immediately.

"STUDENTS MUST BE RELEASED"

Stating that the DEM Party's stance against what has happened is clear, Bakırhan continued:

"We are against injustices. Detained students must be released immediately. These practices must be abandoned. People can protest. Protest and boycott are rights everywhere in the world. This must be respected. Institutions must stop threatening the public."

REACTION TO THE GOVERNMENT REGARDING THE PROCESS

Reacting to the government regarding the process, Bakırhan said, "I remind you that you need to implement today what you said 27 years ago, via the shortest path. Peace cannot be postponed. No one should occupy the agenda with artificial issues."

INVESTIGATION INTO İBB AND ECONOMIC COLLAPSE

Evaluating the economic consequences of the operation against the İBB, Bakırhan said:

"The government stole 13 thousand 500 liras from each of our pockets by selling 30 billion dollars just to eliminate its rival through a political operation. Despite this reality, according to government officials, there is no problem. If they look at their own lives, everything is fine, of course. Their concern is not the 15 million poor people who are dependent on aid. Start working on an interim raise for retirees immediately. Are people supposed to eat stones? What should they eat? If there is no inflation, why was there a 20-25 percent hike in natural gas and electricity?"