İSTANBUL - The prison registration of Güzel, which could not be made because a member of the parliament can not be imprisoned, was made as a physician even though she was dismissed with a statutory decree. Her lawyer, Bülent Aşa said: "This situation shows how unlawful the action is."

 

Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Diyarbakır MP Semra Güzel's  immunity has been lifted after she was targeted by the government. After her immunity was lifted, Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation against Güzel. Güzel was detained in Istanbul on September 2.

 

Güzel, who was taken to the Istanbul Police Department, was handcuffed behind her back and subjected to police violence while being taken to the hospital for a health check before she was brought to the courthouse. In the footage shared by the pro-government media, it was seen that Güzel's hands were handcuffed behind the back and the police tried to bow her head down. Güzel, who was later referred to the Istanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan and gave her statement to the Ankara Magistrate's Office with the allegation of "being a member in a terrorist organisation", was arrested with the same allegation.

 

Güzel's lawyer Bülent Aşa evaluated the lifting of her immunity, her arrest and detention, and the attempt of the police to force her head down.

 

IT WAS AGAINST THE LAW

 

Pointing out that his client had photos taken with her relative Volkan Bora due to the "peace process of the Kurdish question" when she was not an MP yet, and that these photos were served by the pro-government media 5 years later, Aşa said: "His client's woman and parliamentary identity were targeted through these photos. Her immunity was lifted with the votes of AKP, CHP, IYI Party and MHP. This was against the law. Three quarters of the police investigation reports submitted to the parliament were against the Kurdish MPs. There are also reports belonging to AKP and MHP members, but their immunity has not been lifted. This is hypocracy. This law does not apply to AKP, MHP, CHP and IYI party.

 

GUZEL'S PRISON REGISTRATION CANNOT BE MADE DUE TO BEING AN MP

 

Reminding that the immunity of HDP MPs including Leyla Zana, Orhan Doğan, Sırrı Sakık and Ahmet Türk, as well as their Co-Chairs on November 4, 2016, was lifted on March 2, 1994, Aşa said: “Semra Güzel remains to be an MP and so an member of the parliament is imprisoned right now. Normally, every person arrested, enters the prison after being registered by the prison. They couldn't do it because Güzel is still registered as a member of the parliament so that they registered her with her previous profession."

 

The current system imposes that an MP cannot be arrested. This situation shows how unlawful the situation is."

 

'GÜZEL RECEIVED DEATH THREATS'

 

Reminding that Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu targeted Güzel, Aşa said: "They said that Semra Güzel was disguised, this is a lie. Their aim is to create a perception  to discredit and humiliate Kurdish MPs. My client did not trust the judiciary and so she did not go to give her statement because she received death threats. We already see that the judicial system can not be trusted. HDP MPs, mayors, provincial and district administrators are in prison. In fact, this shows the unlawfulness of democratic politics. The 'law' only applies to Kurds.”

 

THEY MUTED THE VIDEO

 

Pointing out that the footage of Güzel when the police was trying to force her head down was deliberately published and that the press could not enter the area, Aşa said: "We see that the video was taken by the order of Interior Minister Soylu. When we met with our MP, she said that she resisted this, and shouted that they can't do this but they muted the video. This is torture. The fact that they handcuffed an MP behind her back and tried to force her head down shows their impotance. The Turkish state tries to give the message that they willmake Kurds bow down, but there is a reality that they couldn't make a single Kurd bow down.”

 

CRIMINAL COMPLAINT

 

Stating that they will file a criminal complaint against the police who tortured his client Güzel, Aşa also stated that the handcuffs were not removed while his client was taken to the hospital and that they will file a complaint with the Turkish Medical Association about the doctor because the curtain in the examination area was not pulled and they will object to the arrest.

 

MA/ Mehmet Aslan