Turkey Imposes Travel Ban on Kurdish Member of Parliament

October 31st, 2016

Awake Goy

nsnbc : Turkey’s 5th High Criminal Court in the southern Sanli Urfa province imposed a travel ban on Figen Yükesdag, a member of parliament elected in her predominantly Kurdish constituency and a member of Turkey’s Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP).

The HDP, on Sunday, condemned the court for imposing the travel ban on the party’s co-chair Figen Yükesdag. The HDP’s Executive Board issued a statement stressing that “This action is entirely arbitrary and in contradiction of all legal precedents”.

The travel ban comes in the wake of a case in which the prosecution attempts to prove that the HDP co-chair had perpetrated “propaganda for a terrorist organization”. If convicted, the HDP’s co-chair could face up to 15 years in prison. Yükesdag is one of many HDP members who criticized the government’s decision to end its ceasefire with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party – PKK.

The High Criminal Court in its preliminary judgment granted the travel ban, citing the “existence of facts which raise suspicion that the accused will abscond.” The HDP rebuked the court for its handling of the case and said that the relevant facts were unfounded and manufactured. The Party’s Executive Board stressed that “Yüksekdag has traveled abroad countless times, participated in various meetings, held diplomatic and political talks and has always returned to Turkey”.

The party also noted: “We demand the immediate rescinding of this politically motivated unlawful travel ban concerning our co-Chair Figen Yüksekdag”. The HDP declared that Yüksekdag would continue to work on behalf of her constituents as the MP for the Kurdish-majority city of Van and stressed that she would actively participate in Parliament and advocate on behalf of the oppressed, regardless.

CH/L – nsnbc 31.10.2016

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