ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – A member of the Turkish parliament had his arm and shoulder broken in a brawl in the legislature that erupted after he gave a speech on Afrin.
Mahmut Togrul, a deputy with the pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party (HDP), had cited a recent Amnesty International report that had raised concerns about both sides of the conflict, the Turkish military and the SDF, targeting civilians in Afrin.
“As the operation continues, civilian casualties are increasing,” Togrul said in the parliament on Wednesday.
HDP’s spokesperson Ayhan Bilgen defended the deputy’s speech.
“Our parliamentarian evaluated what is happening in Afrin: the operation in Afrin. The demography of the area is being changed, which is an attack on identity. This is an attack on identity and genocide against culture. It is assimilation,” Bilgen told Rudaw on Thursday.
He said Togrul’s statement falls within the framework of freedom of speech of an MP.
“We put aside whether he was right or not. At least he has the right to say them,” Bilgen argued, saying that if someone disagrees with Togrul’s comments, they have the right to follow up and discuss the matter.
Togrul’s comments, however, quickly drew the ire of the ruling AKP.
“Describing acts of the Turkish army, which are being conducted to protect and ensure the survival of our country, by saying ‘the Turkish army has done ethnic cleansing,’ is just the most vulgar speech,” said AKP deputy Mustafa Elitas, reported Hurriyet Daily News.
Togrul was accused by AKP MPs of being a “mouthpiece” for the PKK, at which point violence broke out in the legislature.
In a statement on Thursday, Togrul denied that he had accused the Turkish army of conducting ethnic cleansing in Afrin and said that he was worried for the lives of both soldiers and civilians.
Bilgen pointed out that the incident demonstrates that the AKP cannot tolerate criticism of its Afrin offensive. Hundreds of people in Turkey have been detained for criticizing the operation publicly or on social media.
“This is very poor democracy. It is excessively intolerant to differences. This is even not a representative democracy,” Bilgen said, noting that Turkey does not permit anyone to question its position on Afrin, just like they did about Kobane when Kurds rallied to defend the city against ISIS.
HDP will not give up fighting for freedom, Bilgen stressed.
Togrul has a broken arm and soldier and will not be able to attend parliament sessions for a while, the HDP spokesperson added. “This is not only a personal unjust suffering, but also a legal and moral one.”
Turkey launched its Operation Olive Branch against the Syrian Kurdish canton of Afrin on January 20 with the proclaimed aim of clearing the border of “terrorists.” Ankara considers the Kurdish groups, the political party PYD and the armed YPG, the dominant force within the SDF, as branches of the PKK, a named terror organization. The Kurdish groups deny the charge.
So far 199 civilians have lost their lives because of the operation, according to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Another 337 civilians have been injured.
Mahmut Togrul, a deputy with the pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party (HDP), had cited a recent Amnesty International report that had raised concerns about both sides of the conflict, the Turkish military and the SDF, targeting civilians in Afrin.
“As the operation continues, civilian casualties are increasing,” Togrul said in the parliament on Wednesday.
HDP’s spokesperson Ayhan Bilgen defended the deputy’s speech.
“Our parliamentarian evaluated what is happening in Afrin: the operation in Afrin. The demography of the area is being changed, which is an attack on identity. This is an attack on identity and genocide against culture. It is assimilation,” Bilgen told Rudaw on Thursday.
He said Togrul’s statement falls within the framework of freedom of speech of an MP.
“We put aside whether he was right or not. At least he has the right to say them,” Bilgen argued, saying that if someone disagrees with Togrul’s comments, they have the right to follow up and discuss the matter.
Togrul’s comments, however, quickly drew the ire of the ruling AKP.
“Describing acts of the Turkish army, which are being conducted to protect and ensure the survival of our country, by saying ‘the Turkish army has done ethnic cleansing,’ is just the most vulgar speech,” said AKP deputy Mustafa Elitas, reported Hurriyet Daily News.
Togrul was accused by AKP MPs of being a “mouthpiece” for the PKK, at which point violence broke out in the legislature.
In a statement on Thursday, Togrul denied that he had accused the Turkish army of conducting ethnic cleansing in Afrin and said that he was worried for the lives of both soldiers and civilians.
Bilgen pointed out that the incident demonstrates that the AKP cannot tolerate criticism of its Afrin offensive. Hundreds of people in Turkey have been detained for criticizing the operation publicly or on social media.
“This is very poor democracy. It is excessively intolerant to differences. This is even not a representative democracy,” Bilgen said, noting that Turkey does not permit anyone to question its position on Afrin, just like they did about Kobane when Kurds rallied to defend the city against ISIS.
HDP will not give up fighting for freedom, Bilgen stressed.
Togrul has a broken arm and soldier and will not be able to attend parliament sessions for a while, the HDP spokesperson added. “This is not only a personal unjust suffering, but also a legal and moral one.”
Turkey launched its Operation Olive Branch against the Syrian Kurdish canton of Afrin on January 20 with the proclaimed aim of clearing the border of “terrorists.” Ankara considers the Kurdish groups, the political party PYD and the armed YPG, the dominant force within the SDF, as branches of the PKK, a named terror organization. The Kurdish groups deny the charge.
So far 199 civilians have lost their lives because of the operation, according to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Another 337 civilians have been injured.
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