ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Sezai Temelli, co-chair of People’s Democratic Party (HDP), said on Saturday that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan fears he might lose his position, claiming “he is trying to intimidate [us] through fear.” “He is so very stuck that he can only stand [on his] feet by putting his hand on the corpses and coffins of the dead youth,” said Temelli, while addressing his party’s supports at a Newroz celebration event in Antalya. Erdogan visited the Kurdish city of Mardin on Saturday and addressed a rally of his supporters. He praised the Afrin offensive and said he expects the city to fall “at any moment.” “Afrin is a matter of time. We are about to enter Afrin [city]. We might give the good news at any moment.” Temelli accused Erdogan of threatening freedom of speech by controlling television media. “He has confiscated all TV media. He is trying to put false news into our ears. He is trying to intimidate [us] through fear. Actually, he is the most frightened.” If Erdogan was not frightened, he would not be travelling around Turkey holding rallies, said Temelli. He accused Erdogan of blessing people’s deaths. March 21 is Kurdish new year, known as Newroz. Kurds all around the world celebrate the festivities with the lighting of fires, the wearing traditional clothes and dancing. “We will continue igniting the Nawroz fire against oppression and fascism. The Nawroz fire is the fire of peace and freedom,” Temelli said. The HDP has also released “Newroz Piroz be” banners and handouts in Kurdish and Turkish, which have no PKK or Ocalanist symbols. Turkish authorities banned Newroz celebrations in Istanbul and Ankara in 2017, claiming that the public gatherings could cause provocations.
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