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Photo: Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu
Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish
Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) deputy Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu has started a justice watch after he was stripped of MP status yesterday (March 17).
"I and my friends were here all night. We are here until the Constitutional Court announces its decision," he told bianet. "Opposition parties have reservations, I understand them."
"There is a great reaction from the public. I thank all the public for their support. I hope this support will increase even more. There is an ever-growing justice watch here," he said.
CLICK - Gergerlioğlu: Resolution process ended, we became demons
In February 2018, the Kocaeli 2nd Heavy Penal Court sentenced Gergerlioğlu to 2 years and 6 months in prison for "terror propaganda" because of a Twitter post from 2016.
After the 16th Penal Chamber of the Court of Cassation upheld his prison sentence on February 19, a summary of proceedings for his expulsion was sent to the parliament.
Gergerlioğlu has taken the case to the Constitutional Court.
His seat at the parliament was revoked after the judgment was read out at the parliament yesterday.
"Reactions by the public are stronger than the opposition"
Gergerlioğlu noted that he "left home with his bag" yesterday.
"I spent all night here. We chatted with our friends all night and all of us slept on couches. In the morning, we had our breakfast in solidarity.
"We are waiting for the Constitutional Court decision. There is an unjust situation. There is a robbery of rights, robbery of will. The public does not accept this.
"The CHP [Republican People's Party] group deputy chair also protested it but I'd expect stronger support from the opposition. They gave individual support but we'd like them to stand with us yesterday with stronger support.
"Not only me but also the public has criticized this situation. There is a growing justice watch and the opposition is lagging behind the public. Society, the public are supporting me.
"The issue is not me here, there is a situation of unfairness, injustice. If the society reacts to injustice and the opposition's reaction is weak, then there is a problem here. The opposition is lagging behind society.
"My deputyship was taken away from me with robbery. With usurpation. They said, 'We did it, it happened.' They are openly persecuting us, me, and my party.
"This is an unlawful decision. We told this to them as well. I am thankful for the public support. They should grow the solidarity. It's done to me today, it will be done to someone else tomorrow.
"We are here until the Constitutional Court announces its decision. We continue the resistance. I invite all the opposition here." (EMK/VK)
The crackdown on the HDPAfter the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) ended the "resolution process" to the Kurdish question in mid-2015, the HDP has faced a government crackdown on the ground of its alleged links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Dozens of politicians of the party, including its former co-chairs Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ, have been behind bars since 2016. The Ministry of Interior has dismissed 48 of the 65 HDP mayors in predominantly Kurdish regions since the 2019 local elections, citing "terror" investigations and cases against them. More than 100 HDP members, including the party's co-chair Pervin Buldan and MPs, are facing aggravated life sentences in a case concerning the 2014 Kobanê protests in the region. A total of 25 HDP deputies currently face losing legislative immunity over various cases against them. |
(EMK/VK)
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