Pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) deputy Garo Paylan on Wednesday, December 20 said he has confirmed intelligence that exiled opponents of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan including Alevi and Armenian leaders, journalists and academics will be exposed to assassination or a series of assassinations in Europe, CNNTürk reported.

“I confirmed it from various sources last weekend. I have intelligence that Turkish citizens living in Europe in particular will be targeted by assassination or a series of assassinations,” Paylan said during a press conference at Parliament, Turkey Purge says.

Underlining that he had informed the Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MİT), police and government about three hitmen prepared to carry out the assassinations, Paylan said: “Due to the oppressive policies of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) thousands of academics, journalists, politicians and leaders of society are forced to live in Europe. Those people were labeled as traitors by the AKP government, the president [Recep Tayyip Erdogan] and the media. Unfortunately, this sort of discourse and the atmosphere created by politicians moves certain circles.”

Stating that a structure based in Turkey has readied the hitmen for the assassinations, the HDP deputy said: “This intelligence has been taken seriously primarily by Germany but also by many other European countries. They have mobilized their intelligence services, and certain people and groups have been taken under protection.”

Despite questions from reporters Paylan did not share details of the intelligence sources or the names of the targets.