Joan Ryan, Labour Member of Parliament for Enfield North
Joan Ryan, Labour Member of Parliament for Enfield North, has condemned the arrest and detention, in Turkey, of the two joint leaders of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), Selahattin Demirtaș and Figen Yüksekdağ, along with at least 10 other HDP parliamentary colleagues, in the early hours of Friday 4th November.
Ms Ryan raised these matters in Parliament at the earliest opportunity, on Monday 7th November, by tabling an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons as well as submitting written questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. She said:
“I absolutely condemn the arrests of the Kurdish officials and senior politicians.
Turkey cannot claim to be a democracy if democratically elected representatives are arrested with impunity.
What we are seeing is a draconian crackdown on the freedom of expression – in a democracy people are entitled to dissent.
Many of my constituents of Kurdish and Alevi origin fear for the safety and well-being of friends and family in Turkey.
This is not acceptable.
The situation is intolerable.
President Erdogan and the Turkish authorities need to act immediately to restore justice and safeguard Turkey’s democracy.
We must raise our voices for justice and human rights, for democracy and dignity, for life and liberty in Turkey.”