Turkish court releases assailant who attacked HDP office

Ferhat Yaşar / DUVAR 

An Istanbul court on Jan. 3 released an assailant who attacked a district branch of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) last week.

Muhammed Eren Sütçü staged an attack against the HDP's Bahçelievler district branch on Dec. 28, threatening to kill the party members. Carrying a knife and a gun, Sütçü wounded Ramazan Dışarı and Aziz Şimşek.

Following the attack, Sütçü was taken to the Istanbul Police Station, where he was kept under detention for four days. The authorities brought a confidentiality order to the investigation file.

On Jan. 3, Sütçü appeared before the Istanbul 3rd Criminal Court of Peace, which ordered for the assailant's release.

Last week's attack was the second attack on an HDP building in 2021. In June, a gunman stormed the HDP’s office in the Aegean province of İzmir province, killing a female employee.

HDP officials have been pointing out that it is the government officials who have the ultimate responsibility for these attacks as they have been targeting the HDP in their speeches for a long time now. 

(English version by Didem Atakan)

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