Three perpetrators arrested over attack on funeral of HDP politician’s mother

Fevzi Kızılkoyun – ANKARA

An Ankara court has arrested three people and released four others previously detained over an attack against the funeral of the mother of jailed Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) lawmaker Aysel Tuğluk. 

Among the arrested was Murat Alp, whose photo with Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu at a police headquarters circulated on social media last week, triggering criticisms against the minister. Soylu later responded to the criticisms, saying he did not know the person he posed with was among the suspects.

The funeral of Hatun Tuğluk, the mother of jailed HDP lawmaker Aysel Tuğluk, was attacked in the capital Ankara by a group of around 20-25 people chanting racist slogans late on Sept. 13, drawing widespread condemnation across the political spectrum.

Following the attack, the Gölbaşı Public Prosecutor’s Office initiated an investigation, leading to the detention of initially 23 people. Afterwards, the authorities had ordered the release of 19 people, while seven others’ detention process had continued. 

On Sept. 18, the seven were referred to court, which decided for the arrest of three among them, while releasing the remaining four on judicial control. 

Authorities, after analyzing video recordings of the day of the attack, determined that the three arrested people had provoked the group attacking the funeral ceremony and heavily insulted the event as well as relatives of Aysel Tuğluk and her mother.  

The court then ruled for the suspects’ arrest on charges of “preventing one’s freedom on beliefs, thoughts and opinions,” and “violation of law on meetings and demonstrations.”