The Supreme Election Board (YSK) in Turkey just announced that it would reinstate the candidacy of many of the candidates it had barred just three days ago. In the intervening three days, clashes have erupted in several cities in Turkey resulting in the death of one Kurdish protester, Ibrahim Oruç (age 18), whose funeral was held today. An estimated 30,000 people marched through the streets of Bismil where his funeral took place.
Sırrı Sakık, a Kurdish lawmaker and candidate for the upcoming general elections, told HaberTürk television that the YSK decision is a ‘benefit to democracy but the price has been heavy’ and that the decision was ‘tainted with blood.’
The six BDP-supported candidates who were reinstated are:
Gültan Kışanak, BDP party co-chair, who will run from Siirt
Ertuğrul Kürkçü, Bianet Project Coordinator and journalist (Mersin)
Leyla Zana, former MP and political prisoner (Diyarbakır)
Hatip Dicle, former MP & co-chair of banned DTP (Diyarbakır)
Sebahat Tuncel, lawyer and Istanbul deputy (Istanbul)
Salih Yıldız, former mayor of Yüksekova (Hakkari)
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