Jailed CHP lawmaker to attend mother’s funeral

ISTANBUL / ANKARA

Mehmet Haberal’s relatives carry the coffin of Medine Haberal, his mother. Jailed main opposition deputy Haberal received permission to attend the funeral. DHA photo

An Istanbul court yesterday granted jailed main opposition deputy Mehmet Haberal permission to attend the funeral of his mother, who died yesterday morning at the age of 93.

The court decided to free Haberal for two days to go under escort to the Black Sea province of Zonguldak, where his motheri Medine Haberal, will be buried.

The court said Haberal, himself frail and undergoing treatment, had requested to attend the funeral “taking all possible risks” and ruled that he would receive medical assistance during the trip.
Haberal’s lawyers have also demanded an ambulance aircraft for the trip, indicating that their client’s heart disease could be fatal under conditions of stress and distress.

Elected last year as a deputy for the Republican People’s Party (CHP), Haberal has been charged with involvement in the alleged Ergenekon gang, which is accused of attempting to overthrow the government by fomenting chaos in society.

In a condolence message, CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said, “Our pain has been exacerbated by the fact that our colleague Mehmet Haberal is in the Silivri concentration camp and was unable to be next to his mother in her last days.”

A regulation allowing convicts to meet their first-degree relatives who are proven to be seriously ill was approved by the Parliament’s Justice Commission on Jan. 11, a move that was designed to help Haberal to visit his mother, however, the bill has not come to the General Assembly’s agenda yet.
Ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputy group chair Nurettin Canikli told reporters yesterday that the bill will be debated at the General Assembly on Thursday