European Alevi Unions Confederation Honorary Chair Turgut Öker Released

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Honorary Chair of European Alevi Unions Confederation and 25th Term İstanbul MP for the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Turgut Öker was taken into custody at Sabiha Gökçen Airport in İstanbul.

Öker was about to leave Turkey for Austria to attend the hearing of a lawsuit which was filed after the Austrian Alevi Unions Federation objected to the recognition of Alevism as part of the "Islamic Law" in the country.

Öker came to Sabiha Gökçen Airport earlier today (January 23) to fly to Vienna to attend the hearing which will be held on January 25. Öker was taken into custody there by the police.

After being detained, Öker was taken to the Anatolian Courthouse in Kartal and has been released after giving his deposition. Speaking to the PİR News Agency (PİRHA), Öker has stated that he is charged with "being a member of the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front (DHKP-C) and added that he has been detained for this reason.

About Turgut Öker

Politician Turgut Öker is Honorary Chair of the European Alevi Unions Confederation and the İstanbul MP of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) İstanbul MP between June 8, 2015 and November 1, 2015.

Öker was the Chair of Hamburg Alive Cultural Center from 1992 to 1993 and Secretary General of the European Alevi Unions Federation (AABF) from 1993 to 1996. Since 2000, he has been the Chair of Germany Alevi Unions Federation and since 2002, Chair of Germany Alevi Unions Confederation.

Ahead of the Parliamentary elections on June 24, 2018, he was nominated as an MP candidate by the HDP; however, his candidacy was not approved by the Supreme Election Council (YSK) on the ground that he was previously convicted of "insulting the President." (HK/SD)