Turkish police on May 15 prevented members of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) from holding a party congress in direct opposition to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, by sealing off a hosting hotel. Police put up barricades to prevent party members from gaining access to the hotel where they had planned to hold a congress to challenge the growing power of Erdogan. Dissident party members previously sought judicial measures to force an extraordinary session, but the courts have failed to decide if the dissidents have a legal right to hold the congress. The MHP dissidents were attempting to gain enough signatures to force the extraordinary congress, after party losses in the November 2015 election.
From Jurist, May 15. Used with permission.
Note: The closure of the MHP congress comes amid controversy over the expansion of counter-terrorist powers in Turkey, growing human rights abuses, and widespread charges that Erdogan's is attempting to consolidate a dictatorship.
MHP
