Democracy Party (Turkey)

Demokrasi Partisi, DEP

The Democracy Party (Turkish: Demokrasi Partisi, DEP) was a pro-Kurdish political party in Turkey. It was founded in May 1993 by several prominent members of the People's Labor Party (HEP). The party became divided over the issue of the PKK, and two factions - moderate and radical - appeared. Due to its promotion of Kurdish nationalism the party was banned by the Constitutional Court on 16 June 1994. Six DEP deputies were arrested and sentenced to 15 years in prison.^[1]

Prominent party members included Leyla Zana, Mahmut Alınak, Hatip Dicle, Orhan Doğan, Ahmet Türk, Sırrı Sakık, Zübeyir Aydar and Selim Sadak.

It was succeeded by the People's Democracy Party (HADEP) established in May 1994.

In 2002, the European Court of Human Rights held DP's dissolution to be contrary to Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights (freedom of association).^[2]

Footnotes

References

• Güney, Aylin (2002). "The People's Democracy Party". Turkish Studies. 3 (1): 122–137. 

Kurdish–Turkish conflict (1978–present)
Timeline Map
Turkey	State Government National Security Council Military Army Air Force Navy Gendarmerie Coast Guard Police MİT Village Guards Deep state Counter-Guerrilla Grey Wolves Turkish Revenge Brigade Susurluk scandal Ergenekon JİTEM
Kurdish groups	Insurgent KCK PKK History People's Defence Forces (HPG) Free Women's Units (YJA-STAR) National Liberation Front of Kurdistan (ERNK) Liberation Forces OF Kurdistan (HRK) People's Liberation Army of Kurdistan (ARGK) Democratic People's Union of Kurdish (YDK) Democratic Society Coordination of Kurdistan (CDK) Free Women's Union of Kurdistan (YAJK) Workers' Women Party of Kurdistan (PJKK) Free Women Party (PJA) Free Women's Party of Kurdistan (PAJK) Women's Liberation Movement of Kurdistan (KJB) Freedom and Democracy Congress of Kurdistan (KADEK) People's Congress (Kongra-Gel) Confederation Community of Kurdistan (KKK) Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) People's Democracy Party (HADEP) People's Labor Party (HEP) Revolutionary Party of Kurdistan (PŞK) Workers Vanguard Party of Kurdistan (PPKK) TAK KDP/N PŞK PJAK KKP Free Youth Movement of Kurdistan (TECAK) Marxist–Leninist Communist Party (MLKP) Patriotic Revolutionary Youth Movement (YDG-H) PIK HİK KH (Hüda-Par) Allies DHP TDP ASALA (until the late 1980s) Political HEP (1990–1993) DEP (1993–1994) HADEP (1994–2003) DEHAP (1997–2005) DTH (2005) DTP (2005–2009) BDP (2008–2014) HDP (2012-present) DBP (2014–present)
The conflict	1974–1984 Political violence in Turkey, 1970s Maraş Massacre 1980 Turkish coup d'état 1984–1999 15 August 1984 PKK attacks Yeşilova incident Battle of Şırnak 1992 Taşdelen attack Battle of Kulp Operation Northern Iraq May 24, 1993 PKK ambush Başbağlar massacre Winter Campaign of 1994-1995 Operation Steel Operation Hawk Siege of Varto Sazak assault Operation Hammer Operation Dawn Operation Murat 1999 Istanbul bombings 1999–2004 2000 Turkish Hezbollah crackdown 2004–2012 2005 Kuşadası minibus bombing 2007 Ankara bombing October 2007 clashes in Hakkâri 3 January 2008 Diyarbakır bombing 2008 Turkish incursion into northern Iraq 2008 Istanbul bombings October 2008 Aktütün attack Reşadiye shooting İskenderun attack 2010 Hakkâri bus attack 2010 Istanbul bombing August 2011 Turkey-Iraq cross-border raids 2011 Hakkâri attack Uludere airstrike June-August 2012 Hakkari clashes 2012 Gaziantep bombing September 2012 Beytüşşebap attack 2015–present 2015 PKK rebellion 2015-16 Şırnak clashes Operation Martyr Yalçın
Protests	Serhildan 1990 1991 1992 1999 2001 2005 2006 2008 2009 2011–2012 2014
Peace efforts	Attempts 1999-2004 cease fire Solution process
Kurdish leaders	Insurgent Abdullah Öcalan Cemil Bayık Murat Karayılan Bahoz Erdal Mustafa Karasu Duran Kalkan Haji Ahmadi Osman Öcalan Mahsum Korkmaz Şemdin Sakık Nizamettin Taş Mazlum Doğan Muhammad Mustafa Hüseyin Velioğlu Celal Başkale Political Ahmet Fehmi Işıklar Yaşar Kaya Leyla Zana Hatip Dicle Orhan Doğan Ahmet Türk Zübeyir Aydar Selim Sadak Murat Bozlak Tuncer Bakırhan Aysel Tuğluk Hüseyin Kalkan Selahattin Demirtaş Nurettin Demirtaş Ayla Akat Ata Gültan Kışanak Pervin Buldan Emine Ayna Sebahat Tuncel Kemal Burkay Sevahir Bayındır Fatma Kurtulan Osman Baydemir Nursel Aydoğan Sırrı Süreyya Önder İsa Altsoy
Turkish leaders	Military Kenan Evren Tahsin Şahinkaya Bülend Ulusu Nurettin Ersin Necdet Üruğ Necip Torumtay Eşref Bitlis Doğan Güreş İsmail Hakkı Karadayı Hüseyin Kıvrıkoğlu Hilmi Özkök İbrahim Fırtına Faruk Cömert Yaşar Büyükanıt Aydoğan Babaoğlu İlker Başbuğ Işık Koşaner Erdal Ceylanoğlu Necdet Özel Hayri Kıvrıkoğlu Political Turgut Özal Süleyman Demirel Bülent Ecevit Ali Bozer Yıldırım Akbulut Mesut Yılmaz Erdal İnönü Tansu Çiller Mesut Yılmaz Necmettin Erbakan Ahmet Necdet Sezer Abdullah Gül Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
See also	Other Iraqi–Kurdish conflict Iranian–Kurdish conflict Syrian-Kurdish conflict Kurdish rebellions in Turkey Kurdish refugees Human rights of Kurdish people in Turkey Kurdish villages depopulated by Turkey Iraq operations

Historical parties in Turkey
Anatolia Party (ANAPAR) (2014-15) Bright Turkey Party (ATP) (1998–2010) Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) (2001–14) Democracy Party (DEP) (1993–94) Democratic Center Party (DMP) (1990–91) Democratic Left People's Party (DSHP) (2009–10) Democratic Party (DP) (1946–61) Democratic Party (DP) (1970–80) Democratic Society Party (DTP) (2005–09) Democrat Turkey Party (DTP) (1997–2008) Equality and Democracy Party (EDP) (2010–12) Free Democratic Party Great Anatolia Party (BAP) (1986–92) Great Turkey Party (BTP) (1983) Greens Party (YP) (2008–12) Justice Party (AP) (1961–1980) Liberal Republican Party (SCF) (1930) Liberty Party (HP) (1955–58) Motherland Party (ANAP) (1983–2009) Nation Party (MP) (1948–53) Nation Party (MP) (1962–77) National Development Party (MKP) (1945–58) National Order Party (MNP) (1970–71) National Salvation Party (MSP) (1972–81) National Women's Party of Turkey (TUKP) (1972–81) Nationalist Democracy Party (MDP) (1983–86) New Party (2008–12) New Turkey Party (YTP) (1961–73) New Turkey Party (YTP) (2002–04) Peace Party (BP) (1996–99) People's Labor Party (HEP) (1990–93) People's Democracy Party (HADEP) (1994–2003) People's Voice Party (HAS) (2010–12) Populist Party (HP) (1983–85) Progressive Republican Party (TCF) (1924–25) Republican Nation Party (CMP) (1954–58) Republican Party (CP) (1972–73) Republican Villagers Nation Party (CKMP) (1958–69) Republican Reliance Party (CGP) (1967–81) Social Democratic People's Party (SHP) (2002–10) Social Democratic Populist Party (SHP) (1985–95) Socialist Unity Party (SBP) (1991–95) Social Democracy Party (SODEP) (1983–85) Turkey Party (TP) (2009–12) Turkey Peasants' Party (TKP) (1952–58) Unity Party (BP) (1966–81) Virtue Party (FP) (1998–2001) Welfare Party (RP) (1983–98) Workers Party of Turkey (TİP) (1961–87)