Freedom of Expression, principally, guarantees right to speak of people that have different ideas from State’s policy and general public opinion. Actually; there is no danger for freedom of expression of people, who have same/similar ideas with State and general public. It is important that people, who have different ideas, should be able to express themselves without any pressure or feeling under threat. Unless there is tolerance for different ideas in a country, there is no freedom of expression.
Limitation/pressure on freedom of expression, regarding with political parties and their executives abolish also right of having different statutes of party. If all political parties have/support same ideas on problems of country, reasons of their existence become unnecessary. Sanctions against wrong or harmful political statements are statements by other political parties/institutions. Defining countries, in which sanctions against policy are judicial interference/punishment as democratic becomes difficult.
In this sense, punishments against Co-Presidents of DTP (Democratic Society Party) and arrests of Provincial Chairs of Van and Diyarbakır are serious matter of a concern about freedom of expression/opinion and dealing with policy.
It should not be forgotten that punishing president of a political party, in a period when there are discussions on new election, violates also Article 3 “provides for the right to regular, free and fair elections” of Protocol 1 to ECHR. Such pressures against political parties, whose main functions are providing solutions for social problems and indispensable parts of democracy, harm democratic culture as well.
We are in period, on which people try to provide democratic, peaceful dialogue methods in Kurdish problem, therefore; pressures, which are against law/human rights, against DTP’s executives harm also social peace.
There is no public benefit in regarding policy as “crime” via mentality pressure against different political ideas/activities. Making policy free is under responsibility of TBMM (Turkish Grand National Assembly), the Government, Judiciary and civil society.
HUMAN RIGHTS ASSOCIATION