HDP MPs should have heeded summons: Justice minister
ANKARA
AA Photo
Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ has criticized People’s Democratic Party (HDP) lawmakers for not appearing to give testimony which left “no any other means” than to summon them by force, following the detention of 12 MPs from the party.“[The prosecutor] summons and they did not go; what other solution is left? The only means left is to summon them by force,” Bozdağ said Nov. 4.
“What should be criticized is not the justice, it is the ones who violate the constitution and state of law while saying they are respecting the law, [as well as violate] the necessity of the democratic state of law and the constitution by failing to heed the summons [of the prosecutors],” he said.
Bozdağ claimed that everyone was equal before the law and that the MPs were taken within the scope of the law.
“What is happening is that Turkey is a state of law and everyone is equal before the law,” he said. “The law that is implemented for everybody is also implemented for the lawmakers. Why do you feel uncomfortable with equality?”
Bozdağ also said police and citizens were killed in a large explosion that hit Diyarbakır, the largest city in Turkey’s mainly Kurdish southeast, which came hours after authorities detained the HDP lawmakers.
“Many citizens were wounded, police and civilians were killed by the explosion of a vehicle in Bağlar. Turkey is conducting a forceful struggle against terror,” he said.
The blast occurred in Diyarbakir’s Baglar district, near a building used by the riot police. The Diyarbakir Governor’s Office said it was believed to have been caused by a car bomb carried out by members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
“What should be criticized is not the justice, it is the ones who violate the constitution and state of law while saying they are respecting the law, [as well as violate] the necessity of the democratic state of law and the constitution by failing to heed the summons [of the prosecutors],” he said.
Bozdağ claimed that everyone was equal before the law and that the MPs were taken within the scope of the law.
“What is happening is that Turkey is a state of law and everyone is equal before the law,” he said. “The law that is implemented for everybody is also implemented for the lawmakers. Why do you feel uncomfortable with equality?”
Bozdağ also said police and citizens were killed in a large explosion that hit Diyarbakır, the largest city in Turkey’s mainly Kurdish southeast, which came hours after authorities detained the HDP lawmakers.
“Many citizens were wounded, police and civilians were killed by the explosion of a vehicle in Bağlar. Turkey is conducting a forceful struggle against terror,” he said.
The blast occurred in Diyarbakir’s Baglar district, near a building used by the riot police. The Diyarbakir Governor’s Office said it was believed to have been caused by a car bomb carried out by members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).