Prosecutors submit summary of proceedings for 9 HDP MPs over Kobane investigation

Turkish prosecutors have prepared summaries of proceedings against nine HDP lawmakers, including HDP co-chair Pervin Buldan, over the Kobane investigation and have submitted them to the Justice Ministry. If parliament votes to strip the deputies of their immunity from prosecution, they will be tried by Turkish courts.

Friday February 19 2021 04:08 pm

HDP co-chair Pervin Buldan is seen holding a press meeting in this file photo.

Duvar English

The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has prepared summary of proceedings seeking to have legislative immunity lifted for nine lawmakers from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) with regards to the Kobane investigation.

The relevant summary of proceedings have been sent to the Justice Ministry to be later submitted to parliament.

The summary of proceedings target Fatma Kurtulan, Garo Paylan, Hüda Kaya, Meral Danış Beştaş, Hakkı Saruhan Oluç, Serpil Kemalbay Pekgözegü, Sezai Temelli, Perdo Dündar and HDP co-chair Pervin Buldan.

The prosecutor's office said that it had "evidence" that the relevant HDP deputies "had taken an action in term of starting and continuing the violence-related events."

In early October, a Turkish court ordered the pre-trial detention of 17 people, including members of the HDP, in connection with the 2014 Kobane protests.

Protesters flooded streets in Turkey’s mainly Kurdish southeast in early October 2014, outraged over the Turkish government’s inaction in protecting Syrian Kurds as ISIS besieged Kobane, just across the Syrian border. The protests led to the deaths of 37 people, as members of Turkish Hizbullah also took to the streets. Ankara accuses the HDP of inciting violence

The recently launched investigation against the HDP members over Kobane protests is the latest in the government’s crackdown on the party. The HDP is often accused of having links with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and its former co-chairs Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ have been imprisoned for over four years.