JOINT STATEMENT PRESS MEETING
DEFENDING OUR DEMOCRACY UNDER THREAT IS A REASON OF OUR EXISTENCE
Dear Press Members;
With the decision taken on 6 May 2019 by the Supreme Election Council, it has been decided to renew the election for the Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality on March 31, 2019 and to carry out the renewal election on 23 June 2019. This decision was taken by the pressures of political power instead of being based on the universally accepted fundamental principles of law, the Constitution and the YSK's case-law, per se. Statements and manner of the President of the Republic of Turkey, who also holds the title of Chairman of Justice and Development Party, is the most important factor in the decision-making process.
As a matter of fact, the content of the reasoned decision of the YSK which was not explained by the reason of the reasoned decision, which was not justified by the reason, was sufficient to explain that it is not the elections, but this decision which is questionable.
WE ARE CONCERNED IN THE NAME OF JUSTICE, DEMOCRACY AND CONSCIENCE
Based on these approaches, as Professional Chambers, Trade Unions and NGO’s we have made a solidarity decision for our democracy, which is under serious threats as injustice has reached up to a serious dimension, .
This problem has forced us to seek justice, first of all. The misuse of judiciary as a tactical field of political strategies increasingly, while it must be independent and impartial, leads to serious losses not only in the judiciary, but also in the trust and belief of citizens. The YSK decision is nothing but a share of this loss of justice, which we live in. As Professional Chambers, Trade Unions and NGO’s, we ask for a judicial system who do not make the smallest distinction between their citizens, do not take orders and instructions from anywhere, considers law and conscience as its compass, and we want judges who would implement this system. As we fight against a past where unlawfulness is legitimized by the judiciary, we will not sit back and watch this very understanding and practices to be carried to the future.
All our constituents, which have internalized that it is not possible to have democratic institutions and regulations in an environment where injustice is rooted, are of the opinion that the time period we are in has serious threats for our democracy. While the power-oriented rights violations and the antidemocratic attitude towards these violations were sufficient to feed very serious concerns for a long period of time, this time the decision of YSK to renew the elections implies a threat that goes as far as to the ballot box, which is one of the fundamental instruments of democracy. Another decision of the same YSK about the elected 6 Mayors and 56 Municipal Assembly Members on grounds of governmental decree dismissal is of same nature as a threat. Because of these decisions, the function of the ballot box is restricted and the "replacement" feature has been lost. Observing the results this loss has led to in similar countries, we define it as ‘a reason of existence’ to intervene in the course. We know that if we sacrifice our democracy we are determined to fight for, we will not have the right to shape our future.
And finally, this unity, in essence, speaks to the conscience. Instead of seeking satisfaction in the confused statements of those who try to defend the decision, we aim to organize the conscience and try to find a way out for the insight of our democracy, for which we have been struggling for decades. Within this context, removing this problem from the base of political parties, we take it as the requirement of our responsibility to leave the issue to the conscience of the citizens and to lay an emphasis on the necessity for heart-searching for all.
As a result, as Professional Chambers, Trade Unions and NGO’s, which determine that our democracy is under more serious threat than in any stage of history, and that the June 23 elections are not just a Mayor's election, but it is beyond that, we declare that we have made a solidarity decision for democracy.
We mean a solidarity that will enable all segments of the society to integrate with love without any segregation and alienation. We are determined to carry this struggle to the future and to provide unity. We know that the meeting on the axis of conscience, justice and democracy will not only protect these values, but will also be the basic unity that will bring us to the modern and free world.
We demand justice for all, conscience for all, democracy for all.
With our regards.
Istanbul Bar Association
TMMOB Istanbul Province Coordination Committee
Revolutionary Workers’ Unions Confederation-DİSK
Confederation of Public Employees’ Trade Union-KESK
Istanbul Chamber of Medicine
Istanbul Chamber of Pharmacists
Istanbul Chamber of Dentists
Istanbul Chamber of Vets
Accounting for Future Platform
Union of Women’s Associations in Istanbul-İKKB