ANKARA — Turkish police on Friday detained a former lawmaker from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), the party said, after his parliamentary status was revoked last month over a finalized sentence on terrorism charges.
Omer Faruk Gergerlioglu, a human rights activist, was sentenced to 2-1/2 years in prison for terrorism propaganda, in a ruling later upheld by the top appeals court.
The charges were related to a link he shared on Twitter to a news story that included comments by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). Gergerlioglu denies any wrongdoing.
“This is a shame for Turkey. This is a shame for the ruling party. I am being punished for opposing injustice,” Gergerlioglu told broadcaster Arti TV, adding that police were waiting outside his door to take him away.
HDP said it expected Gergerlioglu to be sent to jail.
Thousands of members of the HDP, Turkey’s third-largest party, have been tried as part of a years-long crackdown on the party over alleged links to the PKK.
Many prominent members of the party have been jailed, including its former co-leader Selahattin Demirtas, one of Turkey’s most well-known politicians.
Last month, a top prosecutor moved to shut down the party, after months of calls from President Tayyip Erdogan’s nationalist MHP allies.
Critics say Turkish courts are influenced by politics, while Erdogan and his AK Party say they are independent.
Turkey’s top court sent the indictment calling for the HDP to be closed back to the prosecutor on procedural grounds this week. But it can be re-submitted after the necessary changes.
HDP denies links to terrorism and has described the move to ban it as a “political coup.”
The PKK is designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and European Union. It has fought an insurgency against the state in mainly Kurdish southeast Turkey since 1984.
More than 40,000 people have been killed in the conflict.
Turkish police detain pro-Kurdish lawmaker who lost his seat
https://arab.news/4zcpz
Turkish police detain pro-Kurdish lawmaker who lost his seat
- Omer Faruk Gergerlioglu was sentenced to 2-1/2 years in prison over charges related to a link on Twitter
- Critics say Turkish courts are influenced by politics, while Erdogan and his AK Party say they’re independent
UAE affirms respect for Saudi sovereignty, rejects threats to regional security
- Abu Dhabi emphasized its commitment to maintaining close coordination with Riyadh on all matters of mutual concern
DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to Saudi Arabia’s security and sovereignty on Tuesday, rejecting any actions that could threaten the Kingdom or undermine regional stability.
In a statement issued in response to recent remarks by Saudi Arabia regarding developments in Yemen, the UAE stressed that it fully respects Saudi Arabia’s national security and considers the fraternal and historical ties between the two countries a cornerstone of regional stability.
Abu Dhabi emphasized its commitment to maintaining close coordination with Riyadh on all matters of mutual concern.
The UAE said its position since the start of events in Yemen’s eastern governorates of Hadramawt and Al-Mahra has been focused on containing tensions, supporting de-escalation, and working toward understandings that preserve security, stability, and the protection of civilians, in coordination with Saudi Arabia.
Abu Dhabi categorically rejected any attempt to implicate it in tensions between Yemeni factions, condemning allegations that it pressured or directed any party to carry out military operations that threaten Saudi Arabia’s security or target its borders.
The UAE also called for recent developments in eastern Yemen to be handled responsibly to prevent escalation, urging reliance on verified facts and coordination among all relevant parties to safeguard shared interests and maintain regional security and stability.
