Death Penalty Becomes Election Fodder

Although the death penalty was abolished in Turkey, politicians have brought up the issue again. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the Republican People's Party (CHP) are competing in racist policies towards the Kurds in Turkey.

The AKP asked the MHP, "Why did you not hang Abdullah Öcalan?", referring to the MHP's time in the coalition government which abolished the death penalty. As a result, the leader of the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK), Abdullah Öcalan is in prison.

The MHP retorted by calling on the AKP to hang him.

Weak contribution by CHP

As the leader of the main opposition party, CHP chairperson Deniz Baykal did not respond strongly enough to this discussion. He settled for saying, "It is wrong to reduce the issue of terrorism to a discussion of the death penalty". Does that mean that the death penalty is wrong, or merely the reduction? (NZ/AG)