Gültan Kışanak, the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party co-mayoral candidate for Ankara, has declared that her campaign will challenge illusions with truth, highlighting the stark contrast in political narratives and her dedication to democratic ideals despite her status as a political hostage.
Kışanak, a prominent Kurdish politician who has been imprisoned since 31 October 2016, said that her candidacy is an emphatic statement of will that highlights the roles of the official Turkish capital Ankara and the symbolic Kurdish capital Diyarbakir (Amed) in resolving the Kurdish issue, and promotes gender equality in politics. She vowed to infuse her campaign with her presence, spirit and dedication to the people, challenging the traditional political discourse with a bold statement: “They’ll sell empty dreams, I will say: ‘The emperor has no clothes.'”
Ankara stands as a battleground in the upcoming local elections, not just for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the opposition but as a city craving change. The DEM Party has introduced Kışanak, an imprisoned Kurdish politician, as a co-mayoral candidate alongside her colleague Öztürk Türkdoğan among 19 political party candidates and five independents, positioning the party as a crucial meeting point for leftist, socialist and democratic voters in a city traditionally dominated by right-wing candidates.
Despite her 14-year sentence as a “member of a terrorist organisation” and her own case being merged with the ongoing Kobani case targeting numerous pro-Kurdish activists, the political influence of the journalist, author and politician resonates beyond the prison walls. Her candidacy underlines a robust declaration of intent against authoritarian practices such as the replacement of democratically elected pro-Kurdish officials with state-appointed trustees, and signifies a strong stance on the peaceful and democratic resolution of the Kurdish problem, women’s participation in politics, and the broader societal and economic issues facing Turkey.
Kışanak’s campaign from within the confines of her cell in Kandıra Prison also marks an attitude of defiance towards the odds stacked against the DEM Party and herself. “First and foremost, it is a declaration of intent. It is a clear and strong declaration that the will of the people cannot be held hostage through the imposition of trustees,” she asserted.
Kışanak pointed to the plight of women in the political sphere in Turkey. That she has been selected by her party as a candidate “is a clear statement that women cannot be purged from democratic politics and that we will continue our struggle for women’s freedom under any circumstances”, she stated, underlining the symbolic importance of her selection. She criticised the prevailing highly political climate, which she characterised as the struggle between “nationalistic, more nationalistic and most nationalistic”, proposing an alternative through the DEM Party’s platform: “The DEM Party’s Third Way strategy is the real alternative to this political mentality,” she said, adding that “Democratic politics can be conducted together with the people, by discussion of real issues, solutions and priorities.”
Acknowledging the unequal playing field her party faces, she reflected, “We have never been able to compete in elections on an equal basis. Other candidates will conduct their campaigns using power and governmental resources, while I, as a political hostage, will add to the campaign my presence, my soul and my loyalty to the people.”
Giving voice to thousands of Kurdish political prisoners in Turkey, Kışanak said “We are held in cells as political hostages… but from day one, we have never been disconnected from the people’s struggle,” emphasising the continuous fight for democracy and freedom.
“I am being prosecuted for participating in 8 March rallies [for International Women’s Day], 25 November marches for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, peace activities organised by women, the work of women’s institutions and meetings of our party’s women’s council,” she said, calling on the citizens of Ankara “to take the initiative in solving our century-old problems that have become a Gordian knot.”
Undaunted by the systematic efforts to silence her and other women activists, Kışanak vowed to “fight against this system that wants to usurp the will of women everywhere, whether it be in a prison cell, on the political platform or together with women in the streets and squares.”
“That I continue to be held in prison despite having exceeded the maximum period of detention [allowed for my sentence] is an official acknowledgment of the policy of political hostage-taking,” she concluded, framing her incarceration as a stark reminder of the challenges democracy faces in Turkey.
