‘Those who instigated the assault on TİP MP must also be brought to justice’

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Welcoming the news that three people who physically assaulted Workers' Party of Turkey (TİP) Vice Chair and Hatay MP Barış Atay were arrested, the TİP has stated that the ones who instigated the attack must also be identified and it needs to be made sure that they are also put on trial.

In a written statement entitled "All responsible parties must answer for this, Süleyman Soylu must go," the TİP has briefly said:

"Three of the ones who carried out the attack on our Vice Chair and Hatay MP Barış Atay Mengüllüoğlu were arrested by the court today.

"The other persons who were clearly seen in the camera footage to be involved in the attack cannot yet be caught.

"It is a positive decision to arrest three of those who assaulted our Barış comrade, the MP of the people; however, as the available footage shows that the incident did not happen coincidentally, but was carried out in an organized and premeditated manner, the other perpetrators and instigators of the incident must be found and and brought to justice immediately.

"The pro-government media, which has long been targeting our comrade, and the Minister of Interior, who has been openly threatening him with grave insults, are the ones politically responsible for this.

"All responsible parties must answer for this, Süleyman Soylu must go."

What happened?

After Specialist Sergeant Musa O. was released from prison despite facing charges for "sexually assaulting" 18-year-old İpek E. and driving her to suicide in Batman province, TİP Hatay MP Barış Atay shared a social media post about the alleged phone messages of Musa O.

Tagging Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu, Atay said, "You protected and backed a serial rapist. We will make efforts to ensure that it will be held against you for the rest of your life and you will not ever forget it."

In response to this message, Minister Soylu tweeted:

"The left-over of the PKK and DHKP-C [Kurdistan Workers' Party and Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front], who became an MP from the HDP [Peoples' Democratic Party] upon the instruction of the PKK heads. I cannot be a 'rapist protector,' but you would make quite a rapist... The protector of Tuma [Çelik]; watch out, don't get caught..."

Shortly after Minister Soylu shared this post, Barış Atay, the Vice Chair and Hatay MP of the Workers' Party of Turkey (TİP), was attacked by a group of five people in Kadıköy, İstanbul on August 31. While Barış Atay and his friends were leaving a restaurant in Kadıköy at around 1.30 a.m., the group attacked him, calling the MP a "traitor."

Taken to the Haydarpaşa Numune Hospital, the MP was treated for a suspected broken rib and trauma.

Three people were arrested over this attack on September 2. They were charged with "deliberate injury." (EKN/SD)