Intellectuals urge action against assassination plot against Turkish-Armenian deputy Garo Paylan

Duvar English

A total of 424 intellectuals have called on the state to enlighten an alleged 2016 assassination plot targeting Turkish-Armenian deputy Garo Paylan from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP).

“We call on the political rulership, all of the political structures, whole Turkey to take action against the deep state and mafia powers,” read their statement.

Earlier this month, Mehmet Sinan İnce, one of the former lawyers of mafia boss Alaattin Çakıcı, alleged that a shady former soldier sought over the assassination of intellectual Necip Habletmitoğlu had plans to assassinate Paylan in the parliament in 2016.

İnce alleged that the assassination plan was aborted at the last minute.

Following İnce’s remarks, Paylan filed a criminal complaint at the prosecutor’s office, saying that authorities have not yet taken any action with regards to the revelation of the assassination plot.

In a joint statement released on Aug. 24, some 424 intellectuals expressed their support for Paylan, urging the “political rulership to take responsibility” and act on the claims. The intellectuals recalled that İnce had threatened Paylan after the deputy filed a criminal complaint with regarads to the issue. 

“We are facing an unprecedented disclosure. The dimensions of the gang and mafia formation in the state are no longer disguisable,” the intellectuals said.

“The person who disclosed the assassination plot later threatened Garo Paylan for filing a criminal complaint with regards to the incident and said: ‘We followed you twice. We could have done it we wanted to (assassinate).’ This threat is unbelievable. Members of a gang are saying that they followed a deputy twice and that they gave up on the assassination for him not to be a hero, and still they can wander around in a free way, without being arrested, without facing an investigation,” the statement read.