ISTANBUL (Nor Marmara) – On February 27, it was reported in the Turkish press that the Ankara Chief Prosecutor’s Office has considered Garo Paylan, HDP deputy representing Diyarbakir, as a criminal due to his use of the word sevgili (Turkish for “dear” – or “sireli” in Armenian) prefixed to the names of Selahattin Demirtas, Figen Yuksekdagi, and Leyla Guven. According to the prosecutor’s office, by saying “Dear Selahattin Demirtas,” “Dear Figen,” and “Dear Leyla Guven,” Garo Paylan praised terrorism and those who support terrorism.
Paylan made the statements on March 26, 2019 in the Cinar district of Diyarbakir, in the lead-up to the regional elections. The prosecutor’s office sees criminality in Paylan’s speech and now demands that his parliamentary immunity be dissolved.
