Prosecutors seek lift of immunity for HDP co-chair, eight deputies over 2014 Kobanê protests
Buldan, Danış-Beştaş, Temelli and Paylan.
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The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has prepared summaries of proceedings for nine lawmakers from the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), seeking the lift of their legislative immunities.
The HDP lawmakers, along with 99 other defendants, are facing aggravated life sentences for having allegedly organized the deadly "Kobanê protests" in Kurdish-majority cities in October 2014.
CLICK - 108 people face aggravated life sentence over 2014 protests in Kurdish-majority cities
The summaries of proceedings have been sent to the Ministry of Justice to be submitted to the parliament for a vote after being reviewed in relevant committees.
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) have the parliamentary majority to approve the summaries of proceedings.
HDP Co-Chair Pervin Buldan, its parliamentary group deputy chairs Meral Danış-Beştaş and Saruhan Oluç, and Garo Paylan, Hüda Kaya, Sezai Temelli, Pero Dundar, Fatma Kurtulan and Serpil Kemalbay-Pekgözegü are the MPs that the investigation concerns.
Dozens of HDP politicians were detained on September 25 after the investigation was launched and 17 of them were later remanded in custody.
The indictment charging the suspects with 25 different offenses, including "managing a terrorist organization" and "attempted overthrow," was accepted on January 7.
The protests in question began in late September 2014 when ISIS launched an offensive to take over Kobanê, a Kurdish town in northern Syria. Incidents between different protesting groups and the police response to protesters turned violent from October 6, resulting in the deaths of 42 people.
While the government has accused the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) of orchestrating the protests and held it responsible for the losses, the party says most of the killed were its supporters and the incidents have not been effectively investigated.
Several senior HDP politicians had been previously investigated over the incidents but none of them received a sentence.
About Kobanê protestsIn September 2014, ISIS, which controlled a large territory in Syria at the time, launched an offensive to Kobanê, a Kurdish town in northern Syria, near the country's border with Turkey. In late September, a group of people went to Suruç, a town neigboring Kobanê in the predominantly Kurdish city of Urfa, and attempted to cross the border. Police prevented them, using tear gas and rubber bullets. Pictures allegedly showing ISIS militia crossing into Syria were published on the same days. Also, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made statements indicating that they equated the PKK with ISIS. While the wounded coming from Kobanê were kept waiting on the border, the wounded from ISIS were treated at hospitals. Several news reports were reported in the press, saying "Kobanê fell." These news reports were denied every time. After the HDP made a call to take to the streets against a possible massacre in Kobanê, thousands of people protested in Kurdish-majority provinces as well as Ankara and İstanbul. While left parties also supported these protests, deaths also occurred with the onset of police violence. Street conflicts ensued. 42 people lost their lives from October 6 to 12, 2014. According to a report by the Human Rights Association (İHD), 46 people died, 682 people were wounded and 323 people were arrested in the protests held between September 7 and 12, 2014. As reported by the AA, 31 people lost their lives, 221 citizens and 139 police officers were wounded. Here are some of bianet's articles covering the battle of Kobanê and the protests in Turkey: CLICK - Politicians, NGOs Keep Watch on the Border with Kobanê CLICK - Writers to Visit Border with Kobanê CLICK - 'The Government Doesn't Partner Up on Humanitarian Aids' CLICK - Hard to Be Journalist in Kobane, Police Violence Resumes CLICK - Scores Cross Border to Kobane For Solidarity CLICK - University Student Dies in Kobanê CLICK - Nejat Ağırnaslı, Sociologist, Dies in Kobanê CLICK - Government Didn't Help Refugees Coming from Kobanê CLICK - At least 815 People Died in Kobanê CLICK - 'Privacy' of An ISIS Fighter Vs. Right to Information CLICK - Detained Kobanê People Attacked With Tear Gas CLICK - Petition Urges Humanitarian Corridor to Kobanê CLICK - Twelve Childen Died in Kobane Protests CLICK - The Aftermath of Kobane in Photos |
(RT/VK)