Tuncel Goes From Prison to Parliament

With the support of the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP), "Thousand Hope" candidate Sebahat Tuncel is entering parliament.

On 5 November 2006, Tuncel was arrested, after a "confessor" identified her as a PKK member. At Tuncel's hearing on 21 June, around sixty women had congregated in front of the court building to support her. Her case was adjourned until 11 October.

As soon as her parliamentary status is confirmed, Tuncel is going to be set free.

In its coverage of Tuncel's candidature, the popular media has chosen to adopt a tone of disapproval.

For instance, the daily Milliyet newspaper runs the headline "MP in handcuffs..." Next to the news item we see a picture of Tuncel in handcuffs. Although the article pretends to be neutral, it really sends the message that this is "unsuitable".

The Hürriyet newspaper writes, "Sebahat Tuncel, independent candidate for Istanbul's third constituency and detained in Gebze M type prison following allegations of PKK membership, will, should she have definitely won, first receive a report which returns her warrant."

The coverage does not mention any witness statements relating to the allegations.

Because Tuncel was detained and could not join election campaigns, she has been elected through the efforts of women campaigning for her. She passed the fastidious criteria set down by the Supreme Electoral Board (YSK), so why is the media uncomfortable?

"Your real representatives"

When Tuncel left the court building on 21 June, she said: "We have alternatives to the AKP and the CHP in this country. We must offer other ideas and other colours a chance. Independent candidates will be your real representatives. Do not send those we have tried out already back to parliament."

Biography

Tuncel was born in the Yazihan district of Malatya, eastern Turkey. After completing high school in Malatya, she read map and land surveying at Mersin University vocational college. She then worked as a map technician. She entered politics with the People's Democratic Party (HADEP). She worked in the women's committee of the HADEP branch in Esenler, İstanbul. She was a founding member of the Democratic Society Party (DTP) (NZ/EÜ/AG)