İSTANBUL - Evaluating the prison sentence and the arrest given to DTK Co-chair Leyla Güven as an attack on the willpower of women, ESP Co-chair Özlem Gümüştaş said "We will continue to support Leyla Güven, the DTK, and the freedom struggle of the Kurdish people."

 

The case against Democratic Society Congress (DTK) Co-chair Leyla Güven was held on December 21 at Diyarbakır 9th High Criminal Court. She was sentenced to 22 years and 3 months in prison and there was a warrant of arrest for her. In the evening of the same day, Leyla was detained at the house of HDP MP Semra Güzel in the Kayapınar district of Diyarbakır. She was firstly taken to Diyarbakır T Type Closed Prison and then she was exiled to Elazığ E Type Closed Prison.

 

Özlem Gümüştaş, Chairman of the Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP), made evaluations about the arrest of Leyla and the prison sentence given to her.

 

‘The decision is the fascist regime's war strategy against the Kurds’

 

Noting that the government's policies against Leyla are an attempt to eliminate the unified democratic organization ground, Özlem said, “The prison sentence decision and the threat of arrest for Leyla Güven is one of the fascist regime's war strategies against Kurds. A real annihilation strategy is pursued against all elected political representatives of the Kurdish people and all gained positions. It is not just a message given to the Kurdish people. It is a message given to the left of the socialist movement in Turkey, the forces of democracy, women's struggle for freedom, and political subject, "she said.

 

'We will defend our positions against punishments'

 

Pointing out that the decision to arrest Leyla is a blow to the politics and the freedom of organization, Özlem, ''This also shows how the fascist bloc will be positioned against all freedoms by legal means, and by illegal channels of attack.  We will fight for freedom against these punishments and defend our positions without accepting these punishments. This also will be an important struggle channel.

 

‘Arrest of Leyla Güven is an attack on the will of women’

 

Underlining that Leyla is a woman politician and a special political subject who has taken responsibility for the Kurdish people, Özlem used the following statements: “We, as women, understand the arrest of Leyla Güven and the attempt to make her be excluded from the political arena as an attack on our own political willpower. We also see this as an attack on our entire political struggle. As women we support Leyla güven. We will be in solidarity throughout this whole process. As socialists of Turkey,  we are in a freedom struggle with Leyla Güven, DTK, and Kurdish Freedom Movement.

 

'Women will be in solidarity'

 

Reminding that all women are in a common solidarity against the attacks on TJA activists and Rosa Women's Association, Özlem said, “Women from the West will be in solidarity against the attacks on Leyla Güven. The women's movement will definitely have both a word to say and an action to do about the attacks against Leyla Güven, who is the Kurdish politician and elected representative of the people."

 

Finally, Özlem gave the message, "Solidarity with Leyla Güven and being on the street against the attack is one of the duties of this period."