BTP's Karaman congress turns into a crisis: 'Instructions came from above'

The BTP's 9th Ordinary Provincial Congress in Karaman, which was announced to be held at the Karaman Piri Reis Congress and Culture Center, could not be held because the cultural center was not opened. BTP Deputy Chairman and Party Spokesperson Lütfullah Önder stated that they were prevented from using the hall while preparations were being completed inside.

"THERE IS AN INSTRUCTION FROM ABOVE"

Önder said the following:

"The contract was signed a month ago, the fee was paid, the decorations were done yesterday, and today the Karaman provincial culture director is not opening the door to the hall where the congress is to be held, saying 'There is an instruction from above.'

Our congress, which was to take place with the participation of our chairman, is being obstructed. Where do these people get the courage to commit many crimes, primarily the crime of 'political obstruction' regulated under Article 114 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK)!

We have filed a criminal complaint against those who are trying to prevent us from holding our congress at the cost of committing a crime.

People invited through billboard and megalight advertisements, set-up tents, distributed brochures, and the devoted work of our organization for days have started to arrive in front of the hall.

We are in front of the hall. The election board's ballot boxes are at the door. We are waiting for the hall door to be opened"

"WE AGREED WITH THE CONGRESS CENTER WEEKS AGO"

Chairman Hüseyin Baş, who came to Karaman to attend his party's ordinary provincial congress, reacted to the situation. Making a statement in front of the congress center, Hüseyin Baş said:

"65 years ago, on April 27, 1960, a blow was dealt to democracy, the 1960 coup took place. Those who criticize that coup are today dealing a blow to the Independent Turkey Party's (BTP) congress. We are here for the congress. A congress takes place in venues that have been previously determined and notified to the provincial and district election boards. Officials from the provincial and district election boards come and set up the ballot boxes, and you hold the congress. We agreed weeks ago with the Piri Reis Congress Center, which is affiliated with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, which you see behind us. We agreed with the ministry, we agreed with the state. They told us, 'You will pay this much money,' we paid it; they said, 'You will sign this contract,' we signed it. Last night, they called my provincial chairman and said, 'There is an instruction from Ankara, from above. We cannot open the hall.' We tell them, 'What you are doing is a crime,' but who is committing this crime? The perpetrator is nowhere to be found. We take a step, it is not a crime, but they tell us, 'Even if it is not a crime, you are the perpetrator.' We say these people are committing a crime, there is a crime, but no perpetrator.

"OBSTRUCTING THE ACTIVITIES OF A POLITICAL PARTY IS A CRIME"

Look, the congresses of political parties are a legal obligation. The law tells us, 'You must gather your delegates and hold an election to choose your chairmen.' Now the state tells me this, it says, 'You will hold a congress!' And I come to hold the congress, the state closes the door of the congress hall to me. This is a blow to democracy and political parties. Obstructing the activities of a political party is a crime. Today in Karaman, a blow has been dealt to our 100-year-old democracy and a major crime has been committed. If you ask them, they don't take us seriously and say, 'Do you even have 1 percent of the vote?'

"MY PROVINCIAL CHAIRMEN IN SURROUNDING PROVINCES WERE CALLED"

They send a police camera to every program I go to. Why is a police camera present in the environment? It is there to detect if there is a situation that constitutes a crime or creates a problem. Where should the police camera film? The environment, the crowd. Where is the police camera filming? It is filming the chairman! Am I the criminal here? My provincial chairmen in surrounding provinces were called by the police and asked, 'Will you attend the Karaman Congress? Give us information.' Your job is not to question this.

"THOSE WHO OBSTRUCT THE BTP'S PROVINCIAL CONGRESS TODAY..."

Look friends, Turkey has reached such a point that those who obstruct the Independent Turkey Party's provincial congress today, those who do not allow this election to be held, will also affect your general election tomorrow and will not allow that election to be held either. This is a black stain on democracy. I am making this call from here; enough is enough. We no longer want this government that has descended upon the country like a nightmare, and bring the ballot box that you did not bring here to all schools in Turkey as soon as possible, and let us hold that early election. We don't say 'come be a candidate' like other parties. Excuse me, Mr. President, you cannot be a candidate for the third time! Bring the election, determine your candidate, and let us hold that election. Let the nation show; does this country want the AK Party government anymore or not?"