Prosecution rules out further investigation into HDP deputy’s assassination plot comments
Mesut Hasan Benli – ANKARA
The prosecution has decided to stop an investigation based on the HDP lawmaker Garo Paylan’s remarks about assassination plots targeting Turkish academics, journalists and politicians living in Europe, especially Germany.
Speaking at a press meeting in parliament on Dec. 20, the HDP deputy stated that he had received a tip-off concerning plans to assassinate Turkish citizens in Europe, including academics, journalists, politicians and opinion leaders from the opposition ranks. Paylan said he had shared this intelligence with the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).
Following Paylan’s remarks, the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement that it had launched an investigation into the claims, calling on the HDP deputy to testify as a witness.
However, the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has recently declared they would not proceed with the investigation regarding Paylan’s remarks.
“I received intelligence last week over plans to assassinate several Turkish citizens living in Europe, especially in Germany. I have verified the information from multiple sources,” Paylan had said at the press conference, signaling a “Turkey-based group” that could mobilize certain assassins for the plot.
He had added that the plotters have a list of assassination targets in their hands.
The lawmaker had told Deutsche Welle that his allegations were based on “intelligence received from abroad” but could not disclose his sources to confirm the information.
Some Alevi followers were among those identified as targets in the assassination plans.
