Socialist Party of the Oppressed (Turkish: Ezilenlerin Sosyalist Partisi, ESP; Kurdish: Partiya Sosyalîst a Bindestan, PSB)[3] is a Marxist-Leninist political party in the Republic of Turkey. It defines itself as "a militant revolutionary socialist party fighting for a workers'-labourers' federative republic in Turkey and Northern Kurdistan."[4]
Socialist Party of the Oppressed Ezilenlerin Sosyalist Partisi | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Kurdish name | Partiya Sosyalîst a Bindestan |
| Leader | Hatice Deniz Aktaş[1] Murat Çepni[1] |
| Founded | 29 January 2010 |
| Headquarters | Çankaya, Ankara |
| Youth wing | Socialist Youth Associations Federation (SGDF) |
| Membership (2024) |  440[2] |
| Ideology | Communism Marxism–Leninism Hoxhaism Anti-revisionism |
| Political position | Far-left |
| National affiliation | Peoples' Democratic Congress |
| Colours | Red, White, Blue |
Development
editSome sources, including the public officials, hold the view that ESP is a legal front for the banned ICOR affiliate Marxist–Leninist Communist Party.[5][6][7] Among its founders is Figen Yüksekdağ, the former co-president of the Peoples' Democratic Party.[8]
The party is one of the participants in the Peoples' Democratic Congress, a political initiative instrumental in founding the Peoples' Democratic Party in 2012.[9]
Prosecution
editIn 2013 The Daily Telegraph called it "a small leftist group" after the homes of 90 ESP members were raided in connection with their involvement in the 2013 protests in Turkey.[10] The Telegraph noted that "Police also searched the offices of the Atilim daily [Atılım] and the Etkin news agency, local media outlets linked to the ESP group, the NTV and CNN-Turk television stations reported."[10][11][12]
2015 Bombing
editThe youth wing of the Socialist Party of the Oppressed, known as the Socialist Youth Associations Federation (SGDF),[8] was the main target of the 2015 Suruç bombing.[13] A group had travelled from Istanbul to Suruç on the Syrian border to assist in the reconstruction of the neighboring Syrian town of Kobanî after it was destroyed by warfare.[8]
References
edit- ^ a b "ESP'nin yeni eş genel başkanları seçildi". Artı Gerçek (in Turkish). 27 October 2024. Archived from the original on 9 November 2024. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
- ^ "Ezilenlerin Sosyalist Partisi" (in Turkish). Court of Cassation. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
- ^ "Antep'te Partimiz İki Dilli Tabelasını Astı". Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2014-02-27.
- ^ ESP, ESP International Bulletin, undated
- ^ "MLKP Tuzağa Düşürdü PKK Öldürdü". Aktif Haber. 4 February 2013. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
- ^ "60'lı yılların oyununu oynuyorlar!". aksiyon. 13 December 2010. Archived from the original on 3 May 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
- ^ Biber acıysa, SDP de illegal örgüt uzantısıdır!
- ^ a b c Yvo Fitzherbert (21 July 2015). "Suruç massacre: today we mourn, tomorrow we rebuild". Roar Magazine. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
- ^ "HDK Bileşeni Kurumlar - Halkların Demokratik Kongresi". Red Bilisim. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
- ^ a b The Daily Telegraph, 18 June 2013, 'Standing man' inspires Turkish protesters amid raids
- ^ Hurriyet Daily News, 18 June 2013, Turkish police detain dozens as part of probe into Gezi Park protests
- ^ bianet, 18 June 2013, Police Raids ESP, ETHA, Özgür Radio, Atılım Newspaper
- ^ "Blast kills Kurdish activists in Turkish town". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 20 July 2015.