Turkish authorities detained at least 3,948 people and arrested 632 in 2024 as part of an intensified crackdown on the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) and affiliated groups, the Stockholm Center for Freedom reported, citing a recent report published by the DEM Party.
The report describes widespread human rights violations, including the targeting of party leaders, members and civil society activists through arrests, detentions and legal action. Among those detained were 256 DEM Party executives, with 50 arrested, alongside thousands of party members and protest participants.
According to the report, authorities arrested one elected DEM party mayor and removed six mayors in DEM party-run municipalities by appointing trustees.
The report further says that election-day violations during the March 31 local elections included physical attacks on polling stations and election officials, ballot tampering and the annulment of results in contested areas. “These actions amount to a direct attack on the democratic will of voters,” the report said.
The report documents nine physical attacks on party’s offices, including the Ankara headquarters. The attacks caused significant damage and heightened fear among party members. Additionally, four police raids on DEM offices reportedly disrupted party activities.
Peaceful protests, particularly those advocating for Kurdish rights, faced harsh repression. Authorities intervened in at least 358 demonstrations, while protests were outright banned 92 times in various provinces. In Van province, public assembly bans have been in place continuously since 2016.
The report noted a pattern of excessive force, especially during protests against local election results in cities such as Van, Siirt and Izmir. “These actions show an alarming trend of suppressing legitimate dissent and civic engagement,” the report said.
The DEM Party’s report calls for international scrutiny of Turkey’s actions, urging human rights organizations and global democratic institutions to address what it describes as “systemic violations of democratic principles.”