Turkey’s parliament approved on Friday a controversial security bill that will broaden police powers to investigate, arrest and use firearms.
The security bill comes in the aftermath of an alleged police crackdown on Kurds who took to the streets in October to demand Turkey give more support for Kurdish refugees from the border town of Kobani. At least 34 people were killed and 360 more wounded, including police.
“You have approved a security bill that is the biggest step to abandon peace process,” said Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) leader Selahattin Demirtas, referring to the Justice and Development Party of the President Recep Erdogan.
Demirtas said the visit on Thursday of Turkey’s top military commander to the tomb of Suleiman Pasha as further evidence of the military's support for the AKP party. He called the move a campaign ploy “an act in support of the AKP party.”
The Turkish army launched operations in some Kurdish areas last week, targeting bases of the Kurdistan Worker's Party.
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