Investigation against HDP's Gergerlioğlu over his social media post about Aysel Tuğluk

* Photo: HDP / File

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An investigation has been launched against Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Kocaeli MP and medical doctor Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu over his social media post about ill prisoner and former HDP MP Aysel Tuğluk, who is currently held in the Kandıra Prison in Kocaeli.

With his several requests for visiting Aysel Tuğluk in prison rejected by the Ministry of Justice, Kocaeli MP Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu came in front of the prison and made a statement there yesterday (January 6). He said, "Will this be a second Garibe Gezer case? Should the deceased body of Aysel Tuğluk come out of here? What are you waiting for?"

He also wrote on social media, "Let the atrocity end and justice be served. Aysel Tuğluk in Kandıra Prison must be out."

Following this statement, an investigation has been launched against him on charges of "degrading the State and bodies of the Republic of Turkey", "attempting to influence experts" and "praising the crime and the criminal" as per the Turkish Penal Code (TCK).

CLICK - Ministry doesn't permit HDP MP Gergerlioğlu to visit Kurdish politician, ill prisoner Tuğluk

'They cannot tolerate'

Speaking to bianet, Gergerlioğlu has briefly stated the following about the investigation over his social media message:

"These are attempts to cover up the right and law. It is considered a crime to say 'Don't let her die' for an ill prisoner and former MP.

"I am aware that I am especially prevented from entering the prison. With me being a physician and human rights defender, I am being prevented from seeing the violations of rights on site. I made several applications to see Aysel Tuğluk but my requests were rejected.

I made a statement in front of the prison in response to this but they cannot even tolerate it. As a matter of fact, this shows how much what we say and do affects society. They think that they can prevent it with investigations and court cases.

What happened?

On December 29, 2016, when she was the Vice Co-Chair of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), Kurdish politician Aysel Tuğluk was arrested along with seven other politicians from the Democratic Regions Party (DBP) and the Democratic Society Congress (DTK).

The indictment filed against Tuğluk, who was the DTK Co-Chair till September 2014, brought her statements to the press as well as the funerals that she attended as criminal evidence against the politician.

On March 16, 2018, the Ankara 17th Heavy Penal Court sentenced Aysel Tuğluk to 8 years in prison as per the Anti-Terror Law (TMK) no. 3713. Increasing this prison term by half, the court then gave a 12-years prison sentence to the politician. Lastly, it has decreased this prison sentence by one sixth and ruled that she shall be sentenced to 10 years in prison.

As Aysel Tuğluk's appeal to the Ankara Regional Court of Justice was rejected, her file was sent to the Court of Cassation.

Her mother's funeral

Aysel Tuğluk's mother Hatun Tuğluk lost her life in 2017. Upon her last will, her deceased body was brought to the İncek Cemetery in Ankara. Aysel Tuğluk left prison by permission and her mother was laid to rest; shortly afterwards, a group of 5-6 people gathered to protest the funeral.

The ones who attended the funeral said that this number gradually increased and they tried to attack the grave.

As the attacks continued, the deceased body of Hatun Tuğluk had to be removed from the ground and laid to rest somewhere else. One of the people who attacked the funeral turned out to have a picture with Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu at the police station.

Health problems

Aysel Tuğluk's elder brother Alaattin Tuğluk said that his sister had a memory loss after their mother's passing:

My sister didn't look fine. She asks the same question 3-4 times. She doesn't remember some things. For instance, when she wants to ask about someone from the family, she says, 'Who was that, who?' They are close people, it is impossible for her to not know them. I am concerned that this will come to an irreversible point and that we will lose my sister... I want treatment before it is too late. Let another committee examine her and give a decision accordingly. She is given 1-2 medications now. It is not enough. She will go [to jail] after her treatment ends.

About Aysel Tuğluk

Politician.

She was the founding member and Co-Chair of the Democratic Society Party (DTP) and elected Diyarbakır MP in 2007-2009. She became the Van MP of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) in 2011-2015. She served as the Vice Co-Chair of the HDP responsible for Law and Human Rights.

Aysel Tuğluk was also a member of the Society and Law Studies Foundation Executive Board, a member of the Human Rights Association (İHD) and the founder of the Patriotic Women's Association.

Born in Elazığ in 1965, she graduated from the Faculty of Law of İstanbul University and worked as a self-employed lawyer. (RT/SD)