The World Peace Council (WPC) expresses its condemnation to the decision of the Turkish authorities to suspend some hundreds of Social Organisations and Movements for three months under the pretext of investigating them for alleged relations with "terrorist actions". Amongst them is the Peace Association (Baris Dernegi), which is the historical member of the WPC and of its Exceutive Committee. We denounce the action to shut down the offices of the Peace Associaiton in Istanbul by the police forces yesterday and express our serious concern about the real motives and goals behind this authoritarian and antidemocratic act.

The WPC expresses its solidarity with the people of Turkey, with the peace loving forces and our friends from the Peace Association (Baris Dernegi) with who we share the common struggle for peace in the region. We demand the lifting of the suspension of the Peace Associaition and of the other social organisations.

12th November 2016

WPC Secretariat