Turkish police on May 15 prevented members of the Nationalist Movement Party [5] (MHP [6]) from holding a party congress in direct opposition to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan [7], by sealing off a hosting hotel. Police put up barricades to prevent party members from gaining access to the hotel where they had planned to hold a congress to challenge the growing power [8] of Erdogan. Dissident party members previously sought judicial measures to force an extraordinary session, but the courts have failed to decide [9] if the dissidents have a legal right to hold the congress. The MHP dissidents were attempting [10] to gain enough signatures to force the extraordinary congress, after party losses in the November 2015 election.
From Jurist [11], May 15. Used with permission.
Note: The closure of the MHP congress comes amid controversy over the expansion of counter-terrorist powers [12] in Turkey, growing human rights abuses [13], and widespread charges that Erdogan's is attempting to consolidate a dictatorship [14].
