"Governor of Samsun Neglected His Duty"

The Platform for a Peaceful and Democratic Solution filed a criminal complaint with Governor Hasan Basri Güzeloğlu from Samsun at the Black Sea Coast on the grounds of "neglect of duty" related to the attack on Kurdish politician Ahmet Türk. An aggressor had broken the nose of former Democratic Society Party (DTP) Co-Chair Türk last week. The platform now demanded the resignation of the governor. The complaint was filed at the Istanbul Public Chief Prosecution and is to be forwarded to Samsun.

Police obstructed press release

Members of the platform were going to make a corresponding press release in front of the Courthouse in Sultanahmet (Istanbul) yesterday (19 April), which was obstructed by the police. The platform members drew aside to a neighbouring park and made their statement there. Peace and Democracy Party (DTP) Istanbul Chairman Mustafa Avcı and Yusuf Çetin were among the representatives of the platform.

Lawyer Uğur Olca read the announcement on behalf of the platform, saying, "In order to save his position, the Governor of Samsun called the Ministry of the Interior right after the attack and assured that the assault was a singular incident. This shows that he had still not grasped the gravity of the situation. The statement made by a governor in such a hasty manner and his avoiding an investigation by saying that it was just a singular attack raises doubt".

"The punching of Ahmet Türk was taken easy and it was tried to make it look like an ordinary incident. It was even said 'an egg was thrown at Deniz Baykal [leader of the Republican People's Party in the opposition] in Van, so what is the big deal about punching Ahmet Türk in Samsun'. Seen from a conscious point of view, this is nothing else but a distorting approach towards incidents that direct people to hatred", lawyer Olca argued.

The group displayed a banner reading "The attack on Ahmet Türk was an attack on our people and our struggle for peace" and shouted the slogan "Long live the brotherhood between the Turkish, Kurdish and Armenian people".

The following institutions and organizations signed the criminal complaint against Governor Güzeloğlu: Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), Socialist Party (SP), Workers Movement Party (EHP), Labour Party (EMEP), Social Freedom Platform (TÖP), Socialist Solidarity Platform (SODAP), Youth of Turkey, Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP), Socialist Democracy Party (SDP), KÖZ, Human Rights Association (İHD), Community Centres, Anti-Capitalist, Original Left Movement (ÖSH), Free Democratic Alevi Movement (ÖDAH), Association for Understanding and Sustenance of Human Nature (İDAY-DER), Democracy and Freedom Movement (DÖH), Social Welfare and Culture Association for Immigrants (GÖÇ-DER), Mothers for Peace, Mesopotamian Culture Centre (MKM), Solidarity Association for Families of Prisoners (TUAD), ARZELA Culture Centre, Kurdish Institute, Rainbow, Society and Law Research Foundation (TOHAV), LOTUS Culture Centre, Tree of Life, 78'ers Initiative, Socialist Labour Movement (SEH), Amargi, Bekirhanlılar Association (BEKİRHAN-DER), Theory and Policy, Platform of East and South-East Anatolian Associations (DGD-DER). (BT/VK)