MHP leader insists on ‘general amnesty’ for certain prisoners

ANKARA

The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli insisted on his call for a “general amnesty” for prisoners, raising a question concerning an outcome of a possible riot of inmates before the election.

“What will happen if those in the prisons will become a victim of FETÖ [Fethullahist Terrorist Organization] and the PKK [outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party] instruct prisoners to initiate a riot a week or 10 days before the election,” Bahçeli told pro-government daily Sabah on May 17.

On May 12, the nationalist party leader called for an amnesty for convicts excluding child abusers, murderers of women, rapists, and members of FETÖ and the PKK.

His call was turned down by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who had said the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) “is certainly not considering such a thing” on May 13.

Bahçeli reiterated his party’s determination on the subject, posting on his official Twitter account “we stand behind our words. With God’s will, we hope there will be a general amnesty” on May 13.

As government officials refrain from commenting further on the issue, Bahçeli brought up the subject again on May 18, suggesting a general amnesty for certain inmates to separate them from “terror convicts.”

“We had said the 235,000 victims should be dealt with rather than making an effort for terrorists. A certain number of inmates are PKK and FETÖ, and others are simple criminals and victims of fate. Pick out the victims of fate and release them, so that Turkey will be relieved, rehabilitated,” he said.

“Those terrorists are kept with two or three people. They send spies into wards where there are victims of fate and influence them to cause disorder. Prisons are more dangerous bombs than the bombs in Afrin,” he said.