Delegation to receive journalists’ remains kept waiting at Silopi

The delegation that wants to travel to the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq to receive the remains of journalists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin who were killed in an aerial attack while following developments in Syria on the ground has been kept waiting at Silopi for 18 hours.

The delegation that included People’s Equality and Democracy Party (DEM) Mardin Member of Parliament Kamuran Tanhan, Dicle Fırat Journalists’ Association (DFG), Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) representatives and family members, came to the Habur Border Gate yesterday evening.

The delegation states that here, they were told that the “X-Ray machine has broken down” and “the system is not up” and that they were not allowed to pass into Iraq.

Mezopotamya Agency has reported that only commercial trucks were allowed to pass from the border gate and that other citizens waiting at the border had not been allowed to enter Iraq. Vehicles made to wait at the gate have formed a kilometer-long queue.

Kamuran Tanhan made a statement here, explaining that they were being arbitrarily held, adding, “All citizens who want to pass into federal Kurdistan are being made to wait. First they told us that our car had to pass through X-Ray, then they said, ‘We will let you pass without searching you’. Then, at passport control, they told us that the system was down. It’s a stance against us. Everyone we contacted yesterday told us we could pass but they are still keeping us waiting”.

The delegation will receive the remains of Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin from the Semelka Border Crossing between Syria and Iraq and bring them to Turkey.

(HA/NHRD)