General Staff Reacts to Kurdish MP Speaking in Kurdish

During its weekly press conference, General Staff spokesperson Metin Gürak condemned pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) co-chair Ahmet Türk’s parliamentary group speech in Kurdish. “All should obey the law and act accordingly” said Gen. Gürak. “In a state of law, it’s only natural for the judiciary to intervene against those defy the law.”

According to ntvmsnbc, journalists questioned Gürak about the state television’s dedicated channel in Kurdish, TRT6 –which went on air on Jan. 1. “Keeping the precautions to preserve the unitary nation-state, the government can make some reforms in cultural sphere” he responded.

Türk’s speech didn’t violate the constitution, the Law on Political Parties or the Parliamentary Statues according to Professor Mithat Sancar from Ankara University. “On the contrary” he told, employing a ban on any language would be considered unlawful.

On the other hand, Professor Ülkü Azrak thinks that parliamentary activities could be considered as “state proceedings,” thus speaking in any language other than Turkish would be a violation of law. “I would prefer a more libertarian interpretation of the law” he added.   

During his speech in his party’s parliamentary group, Türk demanded legal safeguards for Kurdish, saying TRT6 lacked any legislative base.

Then he proceeded in Kurdish, criticizing PM Erdoğan for the pressures exerted to DTP members on occasions where they use Kurdish.(TK/AGÜ)