Skip to main content
Regional secretary with the National Education Union
Corbyn condemns Turkish government's crackdown on sister party activists
The Labour leader broke the silence after mounting pressure from Kurdish activists in Britain who were dismayed by his party’s failure to speak out sooner
Police water cannon pro-HDP protesters in Diyarbakir

JEREMY CORBYN broke Labour’s silence today to condemn the crackdown on its Turkish sister party, after hundreds of pro-Kurdish HDP activists were arrested in a series of lightning raids.

At least 500 activists and journalists have been rounded up across Turkey this week amid a crackdown on the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP). Arrests have mainly taken place in the Kurdish south-east, but also at protests in Istanbul where police have blasted crowds with water cannon.

Several MPs had to be rushed to hospital after police targeted them.

The 95th Anniversary Appeal
Support the Morning Star
You have reached the free limit.
Subscribe to continue reading.
More from this author
SMILING ASSASSINS: Contra rebels in Nicaragua
Extract / 21 January 2020
21 January 2020
Investigative journalist PHIL MILLER'S new book exposes the activities of Keenie Meenie Services, a powerful and secretive mercenary company which, from Sri Lanka to Nicaragua, has been involved in war crimes around the world.
Captain Dean Sprouting
Britain / 10 October 2019
10 October 2019
US soldiers' 'entirely improper' driving of forklift truck crushed Captain Dean Sprouting
A US airman secures a fuel line on the flightline at Royal A
Britain / 26 September 2019
26 September 2019
Similar stories
World / 11 February 2025
11 February 2025