Why do the people not rebel against them even for all this oppression? How do they manage this? They do it by the Presidency of Religious Affairs (PRA). The do the silencing by PRA. So I call that the religion has become a hostage of these (AKP). They are using the religion as a stick, they hit everybody who raises his head with this stick. Anybody who rebels against poverty, unemployment they hit with religion. Don't misunderstand me, this stick is not the religion sent from Allah, this is the religion of the state and government. It bears no resemblance to Islam. This is why I say when the PRA is abolished religion will be free.

Selahattin Demirtas

Erdogan wants a caliphate. We Kurds are in his way. Erdogan can't stop us politically, so he is denouncing us as terrorists.

Selahattin Demirtas

The package destroys not just the peace process but all the peace dynamics in society. This is a bid to crush opposition.

Selahattin Demirtas

Nation states are not a solution for democratic governance. This is same for Kurdish people. To see it as a solution is same as trying to drink water while drowning. The real necessity is oxygen not water. The solution is to get out of water and take a deep breath, decrease nation state and increase social democracy. Therefore our requests of a state are no further than a social and deeply rooted democracy.

Selahattin Demirtas

real water people

We expect Germany to push more strongly for democracy and human r... by Selahattin Demirtas

We expect Germany to push more strongly for democracy and human rights in Turkey.

Selahattin Demirtas

human-rights democracy

Nobody is blaming the current German population for the Nazi genocide. It was blamed on Hitler's politics and vision. Similarly while it is widely accepted that the Armenian genocide is the result of the politics of C.U.P in that period, we find it clearly unacceptable to turn back on the Armenians and to put the current Turkish and Kurdish population subject to such suspicions and into a position to defend itself. (Referring to acts of Committee of Union and Progress which was the de-facto ruler of Ottoman Empire during events of mass killings and deportations of Armenians.)

Selahattin Demirtas

According to Cemil Cicek these people do not have problems regarding language, culture or faith, all is about the circumcision. If that is really the problem and if you are so interested we can appoint you as the "government circumciser" and send you to Kandil (PKK HQ in northern Iraq) to solve it. (On the quote of Cemil Cicek, speaker for AKP: "Some of those PKK terrorists without circumcision should tell you a lot about the issue")

Selahattin Demirtas

Dear Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as long as HDP remains and our voters remain on this land, we will not let you become president, we will not let you become president, we will not let you become president. (His last party meeting speech before 2015 general elections that only lasted 3 minute 36 seconds)

Selahattin Demirtas

He is already discriminating by saying "What do you lack?" You, We. He calls us "you", the ones that are not Turks. Actually we all are people living in our motherlands. How can you call natives of this land as "you", with which identity? .. Thank God we have everything and we expect nothing from you(Tayyip Erdogan), we have even more than you, not anything less. (On the quote of State President Tayyip Erdogan "What Kurdish problem, what do you lack?")

Selahattin Demirtas

In no part of universe two intersecting lines are called parallel. (On the question about the alleged deep state organization of Gulen movement dubbed as "parallel organization" by prime minister Erdogan during his run for state president)

Selahattin Demirtas

Mr. Erdogan has compared the risks of nuclear stations with watching TV and said both are risky. I agree with the risks of wathcing TV, especially when he is on TV. (On prime minister Erdogan's quote of "people are saying nuclear stations are risky, then don't you use computers or watch TV as they also emit radiation?")

Selahattin Demirtas

PM says they want to win the elections for the municipalities of Diyarbakir, Van and Sirnak. In case, we (BDP) want New York, Paris and Rome but you can't have them all. (On the quote from PM Tayyip Erdogan for the ruling party AKP wanting to win the local elections for 3 cities which the BDP won with 60% average on last elections)

Selahattin Demirtas

So if it takes 2 days to destroy Syria then it would take 1 hour for Tunisia and 28 minutes for Norway. Only China would stall us for 6 days. (On the quote of EU minister Egemen Bagis: "If we were so keen on war we could destroy Syria. Our military provess is capable of destroying Syria in a few hours")

Selahattin Demirtas

Some internal affairs ministers are 1915s model and some are 1938s model. .. All have common "small" problems, none of them have driving wheels or brakes. You can't know where they'll go or when they'll stop. (Referring to events of 1915 [Armenians] and 1938 [Tunceli Alevis], on the quote of IA minister Idris Naim Sahin saying that PKK terror organization is same as BDP)

Selahattin Demirtas

We accept that the Armenian genocide is a reality wholeheartedly. We also accept the Kurdish responsibility in it.. If you(AKP) is so keen on embracing all the legacy of Ottoman Empire go on and embrace this as a reality. (On the question of his opinions about 1915 events of Armenian mass killings in Ottoman Empire)

Selahattin Demirtas

When the prosecutors are calling former chief of the General Staff of Turkey and hundreds of army generals as "terrorists" nobody is not offended but when I call him (current chief of General Staff) corporal he gets offended. (Referring to the detentions of many army generals for the alleged "Sledgehammer" coup plot trial; On the reaction for calling Necdet Özel (chief of GS) as a "only a corporal in our eyes" for his comments about education in Kurdish language.)

Selahattin Demirtas

You (AKP) are very hard on C.U.P. when you wish, you can even say that "C.U.P. ideology has brought tyranny to this land". But when it is about the Armenians you can be even more pro-Enver than Enver or pro-Talat than Talat. I am truly amazed. (Referring to the 2 leaders, Enver Pasha and Talat Pasha of Committee of Union and Progress which was the de-facto ruler of Ottoman Empire during events of mass killings and deportations of Armenians.)

Selahattin Demirtas

You cannot locate the Kurdish problem by searching. To be able to see the real problem eyes are not enough you would need conscience and mind. (On the quote of IA minister Idris Naim Sahin: They talk about Kurdish problem, what problem? I search but I don't see any problem)

Selahattin Demirtas

They are openly violating the constitution by declaring me guilty even though there is no conviction ruling against me, and are trying to direct the public by misinforming them.

Selahattin Demirtas

You should have no doubt that I will be acquitted in front of the law as soon as possible. So long as the judicial authorities follow the superiority of the law and not the government's expectations.

Selahattin Demirtas

The AKP government is losing The AKP government support rapidly. The economy is also being dragged into a crisis. The government plans to control the state before hitting rock-bottom, the people in Turkey are fed up with the AKP and want to get rid of them, and the AKP surely knows this.

Selahattin Demirtas