Critical CHP MP has a go at police after violently handling a march by pro-Kurdish lawmakers

AN OUTSPOKEN MP of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) has lambasted the police for their violent behavior against the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) MPs last Saturday.

Mehmet Bekaroglu is known for not holding back his criticism of the actions of Ankara. Bekaroglu took to Twitter and wrote: “MPs are beaten at the behest of Suleyman Soylu [Turkey’s Interior Minister], aren’t we going to raise our voice?” asked the post.

Bekaroglu tweeted as the HDP MPs were marching in solidarity with a lawmaker, Leyla Guven.

Guven has been on a hunger strike over three and a half months to protest the isolation terms implemented on Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

HDP MPs had planned to march from the Cizre district of the Kurdish majority city of Sirnak to attend the banned march, planned to take place in Turkey’s southeastern Diyarbakir city.

Turkey will hold local elections on March 31.

The lawmakers were intercepted by the police in the Nusaybin district of the border city of Mardin. The police blockade was recorded on video and was also shared by Bekaroglu on his twitter post.

The police impeded the HDP members from their march after the remarks of Soylu, the Interior Minister, stating: “I will be damned if I let you walk,” on February 10.

“The so-called MPs of HDP are going to march here and there for Ocalan!” Soylu continued as he criticized the HDP lawmakers.

Bekaroglu’s critical words, labeling the action as “bullying and oppression” have been met with a rebuff from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, reprimanding CHP for “protecting the street terror.”

Speaking at an election rally on Sunday, Erdogan criticized the main opposition party, CHP, quoted as saying: “Even our national anthem is not recited during the party caucus of HDP. How can you align with these?”

“CHP is currently under the invasion of people who are depending on the endorsement of the ones threatening our nation with the PKK terror,” continued Erdogan, lambasting the CHP administration over what he claims to be a secret alliance between them and HDP.

Police won’t let HDP leaders march, following interior minister’s threats

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from IPA NEWS https://ipa.news/2019/02/18/critical-chp-mp-has-a-go-at-police-after-violently-handling-a-march-by-pro-kurdish-lawmakers/