The Communist Party of Poland condemns the violation of the principles of freedom of assembly and expression by the Turkish authorities, and expresses its solidarity with the victims of political repression in Turkey.

During Sunday's demonstrations against the NATO summit held in Ankara, several hundred people, mainly associated with the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), were detained. Dozens of protesters were injured in police violence.

The Erdogan regime has banned all gatherings in Ankara. It has also employed mass preventive arrests, searches of the premises of opposition parties and social organizations, and other forms of repression. The AKP government has once again demonstrated its authoritarian nature, even violating Turkish law.

The NATO summit, held under the cover of police water cannons and rifles, is an imperialist gathering. Its goal is to establish mechanisms for further financing wars and aggression. The NATO summit introduces further mechanisms for increasing military spending in member states while shifting the costs onto the peoples.

We express our support for the TKP and its activists, who decided to violate the unlawful ban on gatherings and took to the streets to demonstrate against war and military buildup. Fighting against the aggressive NATO alliance is not a crime; it is the duty of everyone who seeks peace.

Down with imperialism, down with the repression of the Turkish Erdogan regime!