YEREVAN. – Turkey’s main political opposition forces are not yet taking part in the current demonstrations in Istanbul and in other major Turkish cities, turkologist Ruben Safrastyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am. 

In his words, the second important factor is that the Kurdish organizations likewise are not actively involved in these protests.

“The movement turned into a mass resistance firstly because the Turkish authorities took tough measures to suppress them,” Safrastyan noted.

As per the turkologist, the movement is developing spontaneously and without a connection with the political forces; but this does not mean the movement cannot expand further.

“Such movements may succeed only if they can generate leaders,” the turkologist stated.              

He also stressed the role of external factors, that is, the US, which supports Turkey’s ruling elite. 

In Safrastyan’s conviction, the role of the Turkish army should be considered, too, and the specific slogans suggest that some forces are taking part in the protests. 

“This shows that the protests are directed not solely against the curtailing of democratic rights [in Turkey], but also [against] the Islamic policy of the Turkish authorities,” Ruben Safrastyan maintained.