The All Party Parliamentary Group on Kurdistan in Syria and Turkey has conducted an inquiry into ‘Kurdish Political Representation and Equality in Turkey’ with initial support from UNITE the Union and Kurdish groups including Peace in Kurdistan. The full report can be read here.
The report was conducted with a number of MPs from across the House including Conservative member Crispin Blunt MP.
The APPG states strongly that the treatment of the Kurdish population and of elected representatives is one of the greatest threats to democracy in Turkey and the wider region. Repression of elected representatives from the pro-Kurdish HDP party includes actions such as removal from office, bringing charges of terrorism-based offences, and policies of imprisonment and torture has now started to expand to CHP (the centre-left party that founded modern Turkey).
These instances of repression and violence exacerbate the conflict between the Turkish state and Kurdish groups. As the repression of democratically elected representatives has increased in severity, the violence directed at Kurdish civil society has also become more pronounced.
The APPG has agreed 32 recommendation for the UK Government, including one that the listing of the PKK as a terrorist group be reconsidered in the light of evidence received. The APPG has written to the Foreign Secretary seeking a response. There will be a parliamentary debate in due course.