MP calls on Çiçek to oppose violence

ANKARA - Anadolu Agency

BDP’s Ertuğrul Kürkçü invites the parliamentary head to take a stronger stance against violence on deputies. DHA photo

Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) deputy Ertuğrul Kürkçü has called on Parliament Speaker Cemil Çiçek to step up his stance against “attacks on deputies by public officers,” hours after he was involved in a police intervention against a small group of demonstrations.

Riot police in Istanbul intervened once more against a demonstration on the evening of Aug. 20, using tear gas to disperse a small group of protesters including Kürkçü and an Islamic scholar, who had gathered to march to Gezi Park.

“I cannot imagine a public official that can accept violence on deputies, no matter what the cause may be. I hereby invite Parliamentary head Cemil Çiçek to take a stance against such attacks on deputies by public officers,” Kürkçü said.

‘Honor of Parliament’

The BDP figure added that it was Çiçek’s duty “more than anyone else” to protect “the honor of Parliament,” even though Çiçek’s voice has not been heard lately.

“The fact that we can hear the voice and strength of security officials more that the parliamentary head shows the practice of government in Turkey,” Kürkçü said, likening the intervention to a recent attack on the Deputy Prime Minister Bekiz Bozdağ.

“That attack is no different to the attack that was launched on us with regard to the breaking of the law and preventing, by force, deputies from proceedings with their duties. We are yet to see anyone defend the rights of the deputies. We will file complaints against the Istanbul Governorship and the Police Directorate to make all mechanisms work. We will follow this. It will be seen that you cannot run Istanbul the way a dictator runs a village,” Kürkçü said.

A group including three young protesters who had traveled to Istanbul on foot from the southern province of Antalya in a “justice march” had gathered near the İnönü Stadium to walk to Gezi Park, where they had intended to issue a press statement. Their march started in Antalya on July 18, and was due to finish at Gezi Park, the symbolic heart of the anti-government protests that hit Turkey through the summer.

After issuing warnings, riot police officers physically blocked the protesters, who sat on the floor refusing to leave. One demonstrator had an epileptic attack after tear gas was fired by the police and was immediately taken to hospital.

No detentions were reported in the incident.