Pro-PKK HDP says it will show concrete support for Kılıçdaroğlu's march


The co-chair for the pro-PKK Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), Serpil Kemalbay, expressed her support for Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu's march for justice from Ankara to Istanbul, which has entered its 15th day.

The 68-year-old CHP leader launched the march after CHP lawmaker Enis Berberoğlu was sentenced to 25 years in prison for leaking secret National Intelligence Organization (MİT) documents.

Kemalbay said earlier this week that her party supports Kılıçdaroğlu's march, adding that the support will turn into action in the coming days.

"We have been saying that the HDP has supported this march from the day it started. We see similarities between the struggle we have been carrying out to today and the justice march. You will see in the coming days that we support the justice march in a concrete way," Kemalbay said.

The HDP had cautiously expressed backing for the march. However, the party criticized the CHP for keeping silent when some HDP lawmakers were arrested.

Around a dozen deputies from the HDP are currently in prison awaiting trial on alleged links to the PKK terrorist group.

Kemalbay suggested that the march be extended until it reaches Edirne province where HDP Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş is imprisoned.

The HDP has long been accused of failing to distance itself from the PKK.

Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım accused Kılıçdaroğlu of addressing suspected terrorists to lure the opposition to his justice march. Kılıçdaroğlu's march has so far received less support from other dissenting circles in the country.

Kılıçdaroğlu previously sent inviting messages to suspected Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) public servants suspended or dismissed from their duties as well as an academic and a school teacher with alleged links to the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) terrorist group.

Kılıçdaroğlu's statements were interpreted by some as a sign to attract support for his march that has failed to lure larger crowds to the streets.

Kılıçdaroğlu' decided to hold the following a ruling by Istanbul's 14th Supreme Penal Court to sentence Berberoğlu to 25 years in prison for leaking secret MİT documents to the press with the alleged purpose of political and military espionage in the MİT trucks case.

The CHP leader is expected to complete his march at Maltepe Prison in Istanbul where Berberoğlu is serving his sentence.