Niece of PKK’s Öcalan to serve as acting clerk at parliament

ANKARA

DHA Photo

Dilek Öcalan, a lawmaker from the ranks of the Peoples’ Democracy Party (HDP) will serve as one of six temporary clerks at parliament until permanent ones are elected through next week elections. The appointment is of note because of Dilek Öcalan’s familial ties to Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). 

Dilek Öcalan was elected as the HDP deputy from Şanlıurfa, a southeastern Anatolian town. As one of youngest members of parliament, she will serve acting Parliament Speaker Deniz Baykal until the new council is elected.

The first sessions of the parliament is chaired by the oldest member of the parliament while the youngest six members serve in rotation as clerks.     

Other temporary clerks are HDP Mardin Deputy Enise Güneyli, Van Deputy Tuğba Hezer, Justice and Development Party (AKP) Tokat Deputy Fatma Gaye Güller, AKP Antalya Deputy Sena Nur Çelik, and AKP Istanbul Deputy Abdürrahim Boynukalın. 

Dilek Öcalan is the first family member of the Öcalan family to be elected as lawmaker to the Turkish parliament. Her uncle, Abdullah Öcalan, has been serving a life sentence in the İmralı Island Prison, located on the Marmara Sea, since late 1990s. Öcalan played an important role in the Kurdish peace process but it’s not sure whether the process will continue from where it was abandoned before the June 7 elections.