An investigation has been launched against Sezgin Tanrıkulu, a member of the Turkish parliament representing the Republican People’s Party (CHP) from the Kurdish-majority southeastern province of Diyarbakır (Amed), following comments he made on a live television programme, the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has announced.
The investigation stems from Tanrıkulu’s remarks during a live appearance on TV100 on Friday, in which he commented on the actions of the Turkish military.
Tanrıkulu stated in the programme that no action of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) should be exempt from scrutiny. He emphasised their role as parliamentarians in questioning the actions of the TSK, citing historical events such as the 12 September 1980 coup and the destruction of Kurdish villages in the 1990s.
He went on to highlight specific incidents, including the TSK’s involvement in an incident in which 15 villagers were thrown out of a helicopter.
Tanrıkulu also stressed that the current situation in Turkey might have been different if the military had consistently acted in accordance with the law. He stressed the importance of dealing with past events, including the 2011 Roboski massacre near the Iraqi-Turkish border, when the Turkish air force’s bombing of a group of Kurdish civilians involved in smuggling petrol and cigarettes killed 34 people.
The MP stressed that a failure to critically assess such matters has contributed to Turkey’s current state.
Tanrıkulu faces allegations of violating two sections of the Turkish Penal Code: Article 301, which pertains to “Insulting the Turkish Nation, the Republic of Turkey, State Institutions and Bodies”, and Article 216, which deals with “Incitement to Hatred and Enmity Among the Public” and “Insulting the Turkish Nation, the Republic of Turkey, State Institutions, and Bodies”.
