Political parties should distance themselves from terrorist groups: Minister

ANKARA

Political parties should distance themselves from terrorist organizations if they don’t want to be prosecuted, the justice minister has said amid calls from the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) for the closure of the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) over its alleged ties to PKK.

“Political parties should keep their distance from terror. If you make statements in support of terrorism, then relevant authorities will step in as a democratic state with the rule of law will never allow such a thing,” Yılmaz Tunç told reporters on April 24.

MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli has demanded the closure of the DEM Party and the abolishment of parliamentary immunity of its lawmakers after some party members have reportedly insulted modern Türkiye founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Tunç recalled that judicial authorities have launched a prosecution following the incident and some DEM Party members have already been detained.

“If you don’t want to face such a legal procedure, then denounce terror and violence and keep a distance from terrorism. You can freely make democratic politics because people vote for you with a demand of service and not giving support to terror,” he said.

The minister recalled that everyone is free to criticize and use his or her freedom of expression, saying, “But even freedom has a limit: It is about our country’s unity, national unity and togetherness, individual rights and freedoms and right to live.”

Tunç vowed that the government’s determination to fight against terrorism until the last terrorist is neutralized will continue.