Türkiye detains HDP MP over terrorism charges

ISTANBUL

Türkiye’s security forces on Sept. 2 detained Semra Güzel, a lawmaker from the ranks of the Peoples’ Democracy Party (HDP) whose immunity was lifted over two separate terror charges.

Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu said Güzel was arrested while travelling "with a fake passport" in northwestern Türkiye.

The parliament lifted Güzel’s immunity on March 1 in a bid to pave the way for a legal prosecution against her after her pictures with a PKK terrorist emerged. The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office called Güzel for testimony, but she did not appear before the prosecutor.

 The arrest warrant was issued as she did not testify, it added. Güzel is accused of supporting terrorism and being a member of a terror organization. She rejects all these claims.

PKK terrorist Volkan Bora was killed in an operation in April 2017 in the southeastern province of Mardin. As part of an investigation, security forces examined Bora’s cellular phone and found pictures taken in a PKK camp in northern Iraq, which showed Bora and Güzel together.

Güzel’s status as a lawmaker will be dropped if she is convicted of terrorism charges.

The move comes as the Constitutional Court continues to investigate an indictment by the prosecutor, which calls for shutting down the HDP for its alleged links with the PKK and banning more than 500 politicians.