The Internal Security Package prepared by the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government and sent to parliament, where it is likely to be enacted by the end of the month, continues to be a hot topic of debate and street protests. The 43-article draft bill package seriously enhances the authority of the governors, subgovernors and police who are under government control. It introduces changes to the restructuring of gendarme units; training, promotions and assignment of police; restrictions against street demonstrations; sexual abuse and combating narcotics.
The first stern reaction to the package came from Selahattin Demirtas, the leader of the pro-Kurdish People's Democracy Party (HDP): "We will block the package in the streets," he said. "This is a package that has the potential to blow up the negotiation process. It is not a package only against Kurds." Demirtas thinks that contrary to popular belief, the government will become much tougher in the west of the country with the new package, hence the need "to oppose this security bill with a joint opposition stand."
