Turkish parliament votes down proposal for parliamentary inquiry into Istiklal bombing

Duvar English

The main opposition Republican People's Party's (CHP) motion suggesting the formation of a parliamentary investigation commission to investigate the blast that hit Istanbul’s Istiklal Avenue on Nov. 13, killing six people and injuring 81, was turned down in parliament on Nov. 30.

Calling for the establishment of the commission, CHP Istanbul Lawmaker Ali Şeker said that “We have a responsibility to those who sent us here for 'ensuring the safety of life and property'. Therefore, we need to investigate why this (bombing) occurred, and what needs to be done so that it does not happen again. Public is waiting for a solution from the Parliament.”

“You did not question the previous attacks. To put it mildly, I say 'You gave way', you did not investigate, you did not do what is necessary, to say the least, you gave way to these massacres,” he further said, referring to several bombings that occurred throughout Turkey in the last decade.

Supporting the propose, the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) deputy co-chair Tülay Hatimoğulları stated that “Now, this proposal will also be rejected because, unfortunately, the government deputies do not have any concerns or intentions to reveal the truth of the blast, and they are also very skillful in covering it up.”

In response, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Group Deputy Chair Muhammed Emin Akbaşoğlu said that “We are against all terrorist organizations in principle, not cyclically. Now, by Allah's mercy, we easily catch the perpetrators of terrorist attacks, bring them before the Turkish judiciary… Therefore, there is no need to do any investigation on this subject.”

The parliament voted down the motion, in which the AKP and its junior coalition partner Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) hold the majority with 335 seats out of 600.

A blast hit Istanbul’s Istiklal Avenue on Nov. 13. Television news reports showed images of a person, who appeared to be a woman, leaving a package below a raised flower bed in Istiklal Avenue, a popular spot for shoppers and tourist, with a tramline running the length of the street.

Turkey blamed the Kurdistan Worker' Party (PKK) for the blast. However, no group has claimed responsibility for it, and the PKK and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have denied involvement.

The suspected bomber, a Syrian woman named Ahlam Albashir, was detained early on Nov. 14 at a house raid in Istanbul.