Elçi echoed peace calls moments before his death

DİYARBAKIR

Lawyer and head of the bar in Diyarbakır Tahir Elçi (C) speaks during a gathering and prior to his assassination, on November 28, 2015 in Diyarbakır. AFP Photo

Tahir Elçi, the head of the bar association in southeastern Diyarbakır province, called for the end of conflicts in the region during his last speech at a press conference on Nov. 28 before he was killed in an armed attack, while two police officers nearby were also killed.

“We don’t want any guns, conflict or operations in this historical and very old region of humanity, which has hosted many civilizations. We want this region to be far from all wars, guns or operations,” said Elçi, a human rights activist as well as a prominent lawyer, at a press conference in Diyarbakır’s Sur district on Nov. 28.

Elçi was killed by a single shot in the neck after he and several other activists echoed calls for a lasting peace in Turkey’s east and southeastern regions, which have thus far seen intense clashes and a large number of deaths.

The shooting death of Elçi came shortly after outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants opened fire at security forces on duty near the scene of Elçi’s press conference, killing one police officer and injuring another. The injured officer later succumbed to his injuries.