Erdogan’s government ‘practices totalitarianism’ under security cover: MP

A Turkish opposition parliamentarian accused President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government of “practicing totalitarianism” under a security cover, after the ruling party attempted to pass a resolution that would permit arming security guards at night.

Sezai Temelli, member of the Turkish parliament and chairman of the opposition People’s Democratic Party, said that “the Justice and Development Party (AKP) has been practising totalitarianism for a long time, and the number of police force officers in Turkey has broken a global record.”

Recruiting armed militias in government jobs

In an interview with Al Arabiya, the member of parliament said the ruling party’s policies “creates political, economic, and societal crises in the country.”

Instead of solving these issues with democracy, justice, and human rights, Temelli says, the current government “works to recruit armed militias in government jobs under the cover of guarding and protecting” the sectors involved.

The new law, which hasn’t been passed by parliament yet, “clearly aims to put new pressures on the Turkish society and oppress voices opposing the government by force,” he added.

Militarizing society

Temelli views providing night guards with police power – something that the law aims to achieve – as a “militarizing of society,” which according to him will “oppress freedoms and violate human rights.”

“Turkey needs more freedom and democracy, not more police force and guards,” he said.

The People’s Democratic Party, the Republican People’s Party, and the Good Party oppose the law, while the AKP and its ally, the Nationalist Movement Party, defend it, according to Temelli.