Minister of Interior: No Repeat of Zana Case

Six MPs of the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) have been asked to go to court to make statements relating to speeches they made at different times.

MPs determined not to make statements

The MPs, Ahmet Türk, Emine Ayna, Fatma Kurtulan, Selahattin Demirtaş, Sebahat Tuncel and Aysel Tuğluk, have argued that they have parliamentarian immunity and that they have committed no crimes.

They have expressed their determination not to go to court to make statements, and, should they be taken by force, to remain silent.

"No repeat of 1994"

Minister of the Interior Beşir Atalay was asked by journalists in parliament whether there would be a repeat of 1994, when DEP MPs Orhan Doğan, Leyla Zana, Hatip Dicle and Selim Sadak were forced to leave parliament by the police.

The MPs were then arrested and jailed.

According to the Radikal newspaper, Atalay gave his assurance that such an event would not take place again.

Toptan trying to find solution

Parliamentary Speaker Köksal Toptan, who has been holding back the papers by the Ankara 11th Heavy Penal Court calling the MPs to make statements, said on Wednesday that ECHR case law and the constitution were being studied: "The Parliamentary Law Directorate is coordinating this effort. We are trying to find a solution. I hope we will come to that point in one or two days."

The parliamentary speaker had also said previously that he has met with Minister Atalay to ensure that no undesirable events took place.

Support from other parties

Bekir Bozdağ, deputy chair of the ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) parliamentary group, has said, "Article 83 of the Constitution is quite clear. For MPs, immunity is pivotal."

Atilla Kart, an MP for the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) held a press conference in parliament yesterday (21 May), in which he criticised the fact that embezzlement accusations against AKP MPs were not being pursued because of their immunity, but that DTP MPs were facing this situation.

He warned that lifting parliamentary status from the DTP members would lead to "an even greater social and political trauma than that experienced between 1991 and 1994," adding, "At a time when a certain maturity has been reached in terms of the Southeastern or Kurdish question in Turkey, such a trauma would be unbearable."

Constitutional change necessary

Kart called for a change in Articles 14, 76 and 83 of the Turkish Constitution. the DTP has also called for a change in Articles 14 and 83.

The courts now pursuing the cases of the DTP MPs are making use of these articles, which allow the lifting of immunity if there are activities which "aim to destroy the inseparable unity of the state's country and nation and the democratic and laicist Republic based on human rights."

DTP MP Demirtaş had told bianet that his speeches could not be interpreted in such a manner. (TK/AG)