Protests spread around Turkey as citizens pour onto the streets to decry the 16 April referendum as illegitimate following massive fraud at the hands of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Supreme Election Board (YSK). Around the country, people chanted, “No, it’s not over, it’s only beginning”
Protests spread around Turkey as citizens pour onto the streets to decry the 16 April referendum as illegitimate following massive fraud at the hands of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Supreme Election Board (YSK). Around the country, people chanted, “No, it’s not over, it’s only beginning”
Tens of thousands of people have continued protests across Turkey to demand a new referendum after the “yes” side backed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan narrowly won a vote granting the head of state nearly unlimited powers amid hundreds of recorded instances of electoral fraud.
“No, we won, Istanbul is ours” and “Resistance and ‘no’ are everywhere,” protesters chanted in the “no” stronghold of Beşiktaş for a third straight night.
Protests were also held in Bakırköy, Avcılar, Fatih, İkitelli, Güngören and Maltepe to denounce the result. In Kadıköy, meanwhile, women’s groups also took to the streets, with banners reading “Kadıköy don’t sleep, protect your ‘no,’” “No, we won’t accept it,” “Women won’t remain silent,” “Women are strong together” and “No, it’s not over and the struggle continues.”
Protesters around the city were supported by residents banging pots and pans.
Large groups of people also hit the streets in Ankara, İzmir, Adana, Konya, Mersin, Muğla, Aydın, Tekirdağ, Eskişehir and Çanakkale to declare that the results were invalid, chanting “Thief AKP, collaborator YSK,” “Thief, corrupt YSK,” “Thief, murderer Erdoğan” and “‘No’ won, the struggle continues.”
The referendum campaign was conducted in a highly polarized environment and without a level playing field, as the “yes” monopolized all mainstream media. Police routinely harassed “no” campaigners, who were also declared to be “terrorists” by Erdoğan on a number of occasions.
On referendum day, the YSK suddenly announced that it would accept unsealed ballots as valid, particularly in Southeast Anatolia, where there were reports of widespread official intimidation, ballot stuffing and open voting, while marked “no” votes were also found in the garbage in at least one instance in Pirsûs (Suruç).
As a result of the widespread electoral fraud, the “yes” side was declared to have won 51.4 percent of the overall vote, allowing Erdoğan to impose a governance system that will be almost entirely devoid of checks and balances.
Sendika.Org, Hürriyet Daily News
