Erdogan: Kurds are represented in Turkish government, party

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan is dismissing claims that Kurds are not represented in the Justice and Development Party (AKP)-dominated government.

“We don’t have such a problem,” Erdogan remarked during a ceremony on Saturday, adding that his Kurdish brothers are nowadays in high positions in the government and his party. 

As examples Erdogan offered that government spokesperson Bekir [Bozdag] is a Kurd and MP from Yozgat, as well as the assistant to the prime minister Mohammed Shimshak, elected MP from Gaziantep but originally from Batman.

Erdogan added that presidential advisor Aisha Turkmanoghlo is also a Kurd too, saying not to look at her name which contains Turkmen.

Twelve Peoples’ Democratic Paty (HDP) MPs, including the leaders Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag, are currently imprisoned. The pro-Kurdish party won 59 seats in the November 2015 vote.

Two pro-Kurdish lawmakers were stripped of their status in the Turkish parliament on Thursday on the grounds of absenteeism, missing meetings of the general assembly. Four of their members have now been stripped of their status, leaving the party with 55 seats.  

International human rights organizations have reported that Erdogan is using last summer’s failed coup to target political opposition.

Most of the HDP members arrested have been charged with affiliation or support for the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), an allegation the party denies.