Melike Aydın

 

İSTANBUL- Reacting to the arrest of DTK Co-chair and TJA activist Leyla Güven, Perihan Koca, the TÖP Term Spokesperson, said, "The arrest of Leyla is one of the steps of institutionalization of fascism."

 

Democratic Society Congress (DTK) Co-chair and Tevgera Jinên Azad (TJA) activist Leyla Güven was sentenced to 22 years and 3 months in prison and was taken to Diyarbakır T Type Closed Women's Prison on December 22, and then was exiled to Elazığ E Type Closed Prison. Reactions continue to come from many circles to Leyla's arrest.

 

‘The government is stuck both inside and outside’

 

Perihan Koca, the term spokesperson of the Socialist Freedom Party (TÖP), noted that sending the Leyla to prison is one of the "parameters of the institutionalization of fascism". Expressing that the government is stuck both inside and outside, Perihan said, “On the one hand ,there is a clash of different ideas inside, on the other hand their legitimacy is questioned. They are increasingly losing contact. The friction points of fascism do not allow them to walk as they wish. The deepening of multiple crises, especially the economic crisis, the pandemic turning into a crisis, the meltdown at the base and the search and resistance of people forces establish a barrier to the institutionalization of fascism.

 

‘Leyla's arrest is a political decision’

 

Stating that Leyla's arrest is a political decision, Perihan said that Leyla has become a prominent figure with her stance and practices. Perihan said, “The resistance in prison, which the government had to make some concessions after that resistance, also opened the doors for a new era of sanctions for the Kurdish freedom movement. Leyla Güven's continuous public practice after being released from prison is the content of this hostage policy. Kurdish woman politician Leyla Guven, who was arrested by a political decision as a result of the government's purge policies against the Kurdish people and their resistance due to her prominent stance both as a Kurdish resistance and a woman politician. In this sense, the operation should be regarded as an operation against all Kurdish politicians, all women politicians and revolutionary democratic opposition. Not only Leyla Güven, it shows us the meaning of taking the steps of this process with Leyla Güven, from the point of which the institutionalization moves of fascism will take.

 

'People react against Leyla Güven's arrest'

 

As Perihan said, NGOs, Istanbul Convention and many other similar issues were targeted by the government. She said people reacted against Leyla Güven's arrest. Perihan pointed out that these reactions will continue, but the government will continue to keep these issues on the agenda too.

 

‘All these should be read as a whole’

 

Reminding about the appointment of trustees to HDP municipalities, detention and arrest operations after the March 31, 2019 local elections, Perihan said, “Recently, HDP Spokesperson Ebru Günay announced a huge number of arrests. As she said, ten thousand of HDP members have been arrested in about five years. There is a situation where violence as a naked state apparatus is opened up by the ruling coalition.'' She summarized what happened as follows: ''We were faced with a process in which DTK was closed. The closure of the HDP is always on the agenda. In this sense, the attitudes of Bahçeli and Soylu should not be forgotten. The ECHR decided to release Selahaddin Demirtaş, but the government did not care. Leyla Güven has been arrested. The passing of a law to appoint trustees to civil society... All these should be read as a whole''

 

'There is an accelerating women's activity'

 

Perihan pointed out the questions "What to do?" and "How to do" should be asked , stressing the necessity of focusing on the women's resistance,said, “There is a women's movement that has accelerated the resistance practices carried out in such critical conditions, from the actions of the Istanbul Convention to the November 25 protests carried out under pandemic and crisis conditions. Again, resistance taking place in the villages for the soil, water and air,  have passed Erdoğan's  agenda for the first time after a long time. We saw that these actions were violently oppressed. Today, I find the local resistance and strikes of the working class, health workers, shopkeepers, musicians working in the service sector, and artists important.''

 

'Solidarity must be organized'

 

Arguing that the resistances are fragmented and scattered and did not have a political subject, Perihan emphasized the necessity to focus on bringing them side by side. Perihan finally said: “Unfortunately, an independent left-wing socialist focus is not clear today. But it is necessary to organize the coming together tomorrow based on the needs of the people. I think the women's movement is leading. Especially with the practice of Women Strong Together (KBG). There is a solidarity among many different feminists, different women's struggles, different perspectives, and differences across the reality of women in the country. KBG also offers us a resistance practice model. Of course, the establishment of labor and democracy forces and a left focus will not be like the women's movement. Many concrete models have emerged since the Gezi Resistance. They are important examples. It is necessary to pursue this with different forms of resistance through forums. "