Politicians, civil society condemn attack on Ahmet Türk

Türk was attacked on Monday shortly after reading a press statement in front of a courthouse in Samsun where a trial of a man charged with killing two protesters in the Bulanık district of Muş on Dec. 15 was being heard. His attacker, identified as İsmail Çelik (23), who waits tables at a local coffeehouse, approached Türk, who is 68, after the statement and punched the former DTP leader in the face. Türk's nose was broken.

According to initial reports on his testimony, Çelik said he was suddenly angered by some of the words spoken by Türk, adding that there was no mastermind or organization behind the attack. He also said he regretted having punched Türk. He was arrested Tuesday evening.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who is currently in the US, called Türk to inquire about his health and to express his sympathy.

A large number of individuals and organizations from Samsun, including Ondokuz Mayıs University Rector Hüseyin Akan, Samsun Bar Association Necat Anı, the Samsun Tourism Operators Association, the local commercial exchange and union branches issued statements condemning the attack.

Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal also made a statement, expressing his sadness over the incident.

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli condemned the attack, saying acts of harassment against politicians have been increasing in the past few months, recalling that CHP leader Deniz Baykal was recently egged in Van. Bahçeli also emphasized the need for rationality and reason in his speech.

“The great Turkish nation should understand that violence will not get anyone anywhere,” the head of the Samsun branch of the Grand Unity Party (BBP) said.

Fourteen bar associations, including those of Diyarbakır, Şırnak, Kars and Van, released a joint statement saying the attack was the work of those trying to undermine Turkey’s democratization efforts. Şırnak Bar Association President Nuşirevan Elçi read the statement, saying what happened in Samsun was unacceptable.

Diyarbakır Mayor Osman Baydemir also released a statement, saying Kurdish politicians will not put aside their calm and common sense for a second.

Demonstrators who took to the streets to protest an attack against Kurdish politician Ahmet Türk in Samsun on Monday clashed with police in the eastern province of Hakkari yesterday.

Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Masum Türker also released a statement condemning the incident. He said the attack was unacceptable, noting that this incident and the attack on Baykal were the result of recent tensions in Parliament.

There were demonstrations against the attack in predominantly Kurdish areas of the country. In Yüksekova, near Hakkari, storekeepers shuttered their shops in protest of the attack on Türk. There was also tension between police and some protesting groups. Police directed a fire hose at protestors to disperse a demonstration condemning the attack in the Şemdinli district.

Another protest was held in Taksim Square in İstanbul, where about 1,000 people gathered, carrying pro-Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) signs and shouting slogans condemning the attack. The group called on the Samsun governor to resign from office.

Investigation into the attack

Interior Minister Beşir Atalay visited Türk at the hospital yesterday. Speaking to the press after his visit, Atalay said: “This issue is of grave importance. We are looking into it in detail.” In response to a question on whether there had been police negligence, he said two people had been detained and the possibility of security flaws was also being investigated.

Two police chiefs were suspended after the incident, according to a statement from the Samsun Governor’s Office yesterday. The governor’s office said a thorough investigation was being conducted into the incident.

Police said Çelik, whose interrogation at the police station continued yesterday, had a prior criminal record for bearing firearms without a permit. Former DTP member Aysel Tuğluk spoke to the NTV news channel on Monday, saying Türk had had an operation to repair his broken nose. “Two citizens were killed in the massacre in Bulanık. The state has been trying to cover this up by bringing the trial to Samsun, citing security concerns. We wanted to prevent a cover up; that’s why we went to Samsun. We were very well received by the townspeople. Everyone was happy to see us,” she said, adding that the positive dialogue between the former DTP members and locals must have disturbed some circles. “I don’t think this is an isolated incident. I think it was an organized event.” She said the attacker could have had a gun, stating that the police had simply watched as the man approached Türk and punched him in the face.

Sırrı Sakık and Nuri Yaman, deputies from the DTP’s successor, the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), and former DTP deputy Tuğluk also attended the trial as observers along with Türk. BDP deputy Sakık accused the police of not taking the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of those attending the press conference.

Sakık said: “This was an organized attack. There was a group shouting fascist slogans. It was obvious that there was going to be an incident, but the police did not take the necessary precautions. In fact, some of our friends were beaten. We had notified the Interior Ministry earlier that we would be there.”

Two people died and seven were wounded in Bulanık, Muş, in December of last year when a store owner opened fire on demonstrators protesting the closure of the pro-Kurdish DTP. Turan Bilen, whose store was attacked and whose car was set on fire during the incidents, opened fire on the crowd, killing two demonstrators. Türk and others were following that trial in Samsun.

The DTP was closed by the Constitutional Court on charges of having links to the terrorist PKK, and Türk and 38 DTP members were banned from politics for five years because of statements supporting the PKK.