Prosecutor seeks up to 10 years in jail for attackers of HDP MP’s mother’s funeral

Mesut Hasan Benli - ANKARA

A public prosecutor’s office has sought up to 10 years in jail for 19 suspects who attacked the funeral ceremony of the mother of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) lawmaker Aysel Tuğluk in Ankara.

The Gölbaşı Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office sought up to 10 years of prison sentence on charges of “preventing the right to freedom of faith, thought and opinion,” “insulting” and “organizing, managing and participating in illegal assemblies and demonstration rallies” for those involved in the attack against the funeral ceremony of Hatun Tuğluk, the mother of the jailed lawmaker, on Sept. 13.

The funeral was attacked by a group of around 20-25 people chanting racist slogans, drawing widespread condemnation across the political spectrum.

As a result of the attack, the body was exhumed from the cemetery in the district of Gölbaşı and taken to the eastern province of Tunceli on Sept. 14.

According to the indictment accepted by the Gölbaşı Second Penal Court of Instance, the suspects “got the sense” that the funeral ceremony of a “terrorist” was being held after seeing tight security measures and HDP lawmakers.

But a reduction in the sentence was requested on grounds that “insults were used on both sides” at the funeral.

The indictment said the attackers Barış Şimşek, Cemil Özdemir, Murat Alp, Necat Alp, Orhan Karakaya, Osman Karakaya and Naci Karakaya had provoked demonstrators with their remarks.

A nonsuit decision was given for 10 suspects and members of the security forces.