İYİ Party initiates disciplinary action against MP over Sheikh Said row

ANKARA

The İYİ (Good) Party has taken disciplinary action against its own MP following his statements regarding the naming of a boulevard in eastern Diyarbakır city after Sheikh Said, a controversial figure known for leading a Kurdish rebellion against the state in 1925.

İYİ Party spokesperson Kürşad Zorlu confirmed the disciplinary referral against Mehmet Salim Ensarioğlu on Dec. 12, revealing that it came at the directive of the party leader, Meral Akşener.

"We categorically reject Ensarioğlu's statement, which disregards the fundamental principles of the İYİ Party and its historical political stance," Zorlu stated in a statement on X.

Sheikh Said, a Kurdish sheikh and leader of the 1925 rebellion against the Turkish state, recently became the center of another controversy when the trustee administration in Diyarbakır announced a decision to name a new boulevard after him. The move sparked criticism from various political quarters, including the İYİ Party.

Zorlu, in a parliamentary question directed to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, criticized the decision, deeming it contrary to legal legislation.

In response to the controversy, Ensarioğlu, hailing from Diyarbakır, rejected accusations of betrayal against Sheikh Said. The Istanbul deputy described him as a "significant social and religious figure in the region," expressing his belief in treating all societal values with respect and reverence.

The rebellion led by Sheikh Said prompted the Turkish army to intervene, leading to his capture in mid-April 1925. He subsequently faced a trial before an Independence Tribunal – one of eight courts invested with superior authority in 1920 during the Turkish War of Independence in order to prosecute those who were against the system of the government.

On June 28, 1925, Sheikh Said was sentenced to death, and the following day, he was executed alongside 47 of his followers.