Criminal cases against Erdoğan’s guards halted in US

ISTANBUL

Criminal cases against 11 of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s security guards in the U.S. have reportedly been dropped.

Criminal proceedings against seven of Erdoğan’s 15 guards were withdrawn just before former U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s visit to Ankara on Feb. 15.

The prosecutors decided to halt the proceedings regarding four of the guards in November, Doğan News Agency reported.

Criminal cases against four other Turkish presidential security guards are still ongoing, U.S. media reported on March 22.

During Erdoğan’s visit to the U.S. capital Washington on May 17, 2017 security guards were caught on film attacking protesters in front of the Turkish Embassy.

Turkey accused the U.S. security authorities of not taking necessary measures to keep the protesters away from Erdoğan and other Turkish delegates. The city’s police chief, however, described the incident as a “brutal attack on peaceful protesters.”