“The AKP is finished and exhausted. All of the opposition needs to come together and discuss how the country will recover and how the wounds will be healed,” Demirtas, who has been in jail for over three years, told daily Cumhuriyet via his lawyers on December 24, adding that a joint democracy program should be presented to the public following the discussions.
“There’s the image as if the government took hold of the judiciary, parliament, media, bureaucracy, universities, business world, social life and all areas of life. They’ve been creating an atmosphere like this situation will continue for another thousand years. The AKP is a finished, exhausted and rotten party. They attempt to hide this situation via shouting, threatening and trying to scare people,” he also said.
Demirtas was arrested on November 4, 2016 on charges related to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and faces hundreds of years in prison.
HDP lawmakers and members are often accused of being supporters of the PKK – a group designated as a terrorist organization by Ankara, Washington and the European Union.
Dozens of elected mayors from the party were sacked and replaced with trustees, with many also arrested.
Commenting on the high number of prisoners from the HDP, Demirtas described the situation as being “political hostages.”
“Lawmakers, dozens of mayors, thousands of HDP administrators and members are kept in jail to prevent AKP’s downfall in politics,” he said.
When asked about the reason for why he didn’t demand his release in court in his latest trial, Demirtas said that he can’t ask President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for it.
“The one who makes the ultimate decision is Erdogan and I won’t ask him to release me,” he said.
In his interview, Demirtas said that people shouldn’t be afraid of the political understanding that has been involved in crimes the most.
“We are 82 million citizens. If we unite, even for once, we can shatter their government. Don’t be afraid of speaking, criticizing, protesting, writing and organizing. Don’t be afraid of paying the price for it, because we’re almost there. We are on the dawn of freedom and democracy. They will go down in history in the next elections, don’t worry,” he said, adding that peaceful, free and equal life will definitely be ensured.
“This empire of fear has started to collapse,” he also said.
Demirtas also commented on two new political movements led by former Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and former Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan – figures who significantly contributed to the AKP’s rise – saying that Davutoglu needs to issue a sincere apology for his past.
“We know them [Davutoglu’s team] quite well since they are the architects of the recent past. Leaving their programs and political stances aside, Davutoglu lacks the skill to listen. He just talks,” Demirtas said, adding that he can’t move forward in politics if he doesn’t apologize and criticize his own actions.
Davutoglu, who was the prime minister when Demirtas was arrested, founded the Future Party on December 13.
He was also on duty when security forces carried out anti-PKK operations in Turkey’s southeast – a period heavily criticized for its high number of human rights abuses.
Demirtas refrained from commenting on Babacan’s movement since his party hasn’t been formally founded yet.
“They seem to be the movement closest to filling the spot left by the AKP. I hope that they take a democratic stance as their basis without inclining towards political religious, sectarian and nationalist diversions. Turkey urgently needs to meet around democratic principles. We are watching what Babacan’s team will do closely,” he said.
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