Main opposition CHP issues parliamentary motion over security of justice march

KOCAELİ

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has issued a motion for a parliamentary investigation demanding additional security measures be taken for the justice march from Ankara to Istanbul.

The motion comes after CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu raised concerns about further “provocations” directed at the march as it approaches Istanbul. 

CHP deputy Sezgin Tanrıkulu issued the motion to the Parliamentary Speaker’s Office on July 5 requesting “all additional security measures to be taken urgently so that any provocative initiatives and actions against the march will be avoided and safety is ensured.”

Kılıçdaroğlu previously voiced their concerns about provocations to the Hürriyet Daily News. 

“According to our information, as the march gets nearer to Istanbul we might be attacked by a group within the [Turkish ultranationalist] Ülkücü movement. The police would naturally stop this,” he told Hürriyet Daily News editor-in-chief Murat Yetkin on July 4. 

The motion points out that “there are smear campaigns being conducted against the march, including in government officials’ statements,” adding that those statements could raise the possibility of “provocations” as the march approaches Istanbul.  

“We respectfully demand a parliamentary investigation about additional security measures to be taken urgently covering the march to Istanbul and the planned [July 9] rally in Maltepe in order to ensure the security of the peaceful march by preventing any provocative moves, or actions that can come from outside, aiming to harm the positive impact of the justice march,” the motion read. 

As Kılıçdaroğlu started his 21st day in the Justice March through the D-100 highway leading to Istanbul, some media outlets reported that the police had blocked accesses to the highway as a security measure. 
Additional police forces have been employed for the security of the march. 

Criticism of top judicial board

Meanwhile, before starting to walk on the 21st day, Kılıçdaroğlu criticised the Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK) for being “politically influenced,” after the new board formed folowing the controversial passing of a constitutional amendment that reshuffled the districts of 780 judges and prosecutors. 

“They have changed the districts of 780 judges and prosecutors with a single enactment. Why? It is to ensure the appointment of new judges and prosecutors who are in compliance with the expectations of the political authority to start working,” Kılıçdaroğlu said in Kocaeli on July 5. 

“If you hand over the justice system to the political authority, Turkey will never be free from trouble. There will be no democracy and there will continue to be violations of human rights,” he added.

“Everybody should accept the universal understanding of justice, not imposing their own understanding of justice,” he said. 

The CHP also recalled the 24-year anniversary of the killings in Erzurum’s Başbağlar district, in which 33 people were killed by outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). 

“It was one of the biggest civilian massacres in the republic’s history. We hope nothing of this sort will ever be experienced again,” Kılıçdaroğlu said.